Whingers and bulldozers in 'big society' plans battle

By Western Morning News | Thursday, January 12, 2012, 08:00

Protesters have been branded "whingers" over complaints that a council plans to "bulldoze through" proposals for a pavilion building, despite "overwhelming" public opposition.

The controversial £400,000 Strand Pavilion in Exmouth has twice been rejected by Exmouth Town Council, and more than 900 people have signed a petition objecting to the development.

But Devon County Council is pressing ahead with a revised planning application, which has been modified because of concerns over the original height. Yet locals say it is still the wrong building for the site.

Yesterday, Devon County Councillor Stuart Hughes dismissed those complaining as "whingers", saying the facility, which will include a bus shelter and an entertainment space, was needed to bring visitors into the town.

He said the new design was a product of listening to the community, and said it had been approved by Exmouth's general purpose committee, before being vetoed by the full council. Now, he is trying to organise a meeting between the architect and the town, district and county councils to see if it can be modified to suit all parties before it moves forward. But he pledged there would be a modern building, which was always part of the £3 million regeneration plan.

Coun Hughes said "You're always going to get the whingers, but there are plenty of people who think this will be great, who are currently getting wet as they wait for a bus. This facility will bring people in to the town – you're not going to get that by sending them out to some gardens. Six months after this is built, everyone will be saying how brilliant it is and all this will be forgotten."

Richard Benford, editor of the Exmouth Voice newsletter, opposed the possibility of a café within the building, in an area with lots of locally-owned eateries who may struggle to compete. He said: "David Cameron's whole idea of a big society is that communities rule their own decisions, but they obviously don't. Where's the line drawn? Virtually nobody wants it, and yet they are just bulldozing it through. It's just wrong."

Geoff Morris, chairman of the Exmouth Residents' Association, said the development would spoil the feeling of open space on the existing gardens, and contradicted guidelines developed in the town to maintain buildings in keeping with the environment. He said nearby residents were concerned about the use of amplified sound planned for the building. "They don't seem to have consulted anyone whatsoever," he said.

In a statement, East Devon District Council said it was "enthusiastic" about the plan, adding: "The Strand will have the added benefit of a new bus shelter, retail unit and performance space in one compact and attractive building."

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Comments

I think when you get the Police ,the Town Council rejecting it & at present over 2500 people signing a petition I think it is safe to say people don't want it. A lot of polls for elections etc are conducted with far less people in a random survey. Trust your instinct on this one. EDDC refused to have referendum . Why are Devon County so desperate to build it.? It is about trying to exert power over local democracy.It shouldn't be allowed to succeed.

By bortez at 17:07 on 23/01/12
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Hi Borlez. I feel my two postings do not counteract each other. Yes, I am saying forget this folly and listen to the people of Exmouth. That's because I don't care for the proposals myself and, at the moment, I don't know of anyone in Exmouth who is in favour of the Pavilion on the Strand.

But my own feelings – and the voice on the street – are not facts and figures. They are just my personal views on the planned building and the fact that all I hear around Exmouth is no to the building.

So what facts and figures exist so far?

We know of a petition that was signed by 2,200 people in March 2011 (http://tinyurl.com/82hu8b8). We also know that a referendum was asked for by a delegation of local residents in April 2011 (http://tinyurl.com/6oquflq), but was then rejected by EDDC on a technicality.

In addition, more recently we know that 900 people signed a petition against the new proposal for the Pavilion (http://tinyurl.com/bpdg2zj).

They are the only facts and figures that I am aware of, and I do not think that they are representative of a town the size of Exmouth (approx 36,000 people). That's why I am saying to exmouthron, where are the facts and figures to back up his arguments? Over to you, exmouthron...

By Grapenut at 16:34 on 23/01/12
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Grapenut -your two postings counteract each- One posting you are saying forget this follly and listen to the people of Exmouth. The next you are saying where is the evidence that the people don't want it.

By bortez at 14:10 on 23/01/12
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Where are the facts and figures to back up your arguments, exmouthron? How many people in Exmouth are not in favour of a building in the Strand? You say that "there is evidence that many would agree to a bus shelter". Where is this evidence? I don't care for the proposed building either, but if you are to convince EDDC and DCC that they need to shelve the plans, you MUST have the facts and figures to back your case. Please let us know on the Exmouth People website, where this debate is more relevant: http://tinyurl.com/d2t8bvz

By Grapenut at 22:11 on 16/01/12
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What trubinstife has wrong is that most of th epeople are not in favour of a building at all never mind a cafe. there is evidence that many would agree to a bus shelter like those in the Parade, which would only need about £5k to build it and has no need t ask for a planning permission, bu the retail/cafe and a performing stage is certainly not on the general publics shopping list because they are not needed when we have a number of empty shops around the Strand now and a purpose built performing stage in the manor Gardens which is in a good spot but underused now.
This is all on top of certain other facts which are seldom realised by the writers of letters. EDDC have designated the strand as a conservation area which severely limits what can be built in the area and they have also included it in the local plan as a recreational area which would stop retail use, so where is the reasoning for them to go against their own policy. the other very important point is that the police are strongly against this building because of potential undesirable uses that may well take place there if a performing stage is built and becomes a rallying point for more of those who flock to the Strand late at night or early mornings to cause a huge amount of trouble now for the police to handle.

By exmouthron at 16:53 on 16/01/12
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