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The Bradworthy Wind Turbines
Councillor
Christie's Weblog
From your Torridge District Councillor Peter Christie
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10th September '06
Sitting on the Planning Committee I receive a lot of letters both for and against developments in Bideford. Many of these schemes are taking the form of ‘infill’ i.e. building new houses on large gardens/derelict sites etc. I actually think this is a good idea as it saves green field sites from going under concrete. Recently two large ones have come forward. One is behind the old garden nursery in Meddon Street where developers plan to build 35 flats and 11 houses accessed via Union Close. The other is for 12 houses on a piece of land accessed via a rather steep and narrow lane half way along Lime Grove. This will involve the demolition of an end-of-terrace house to facilitate access which will in turn lead to a loss of on-street car parking due to the need for visibility splays etc.
The difference between the two lies in this latter point – the Meddon Street site is supplying 63 parking spaces for 46 units and so will not exacerbate existing problems; the Lime Grove one is supplying 24 parking spaces for the exclusive use of the 12 units – but with a net overall loss to existing residents. Given the problem with parking in Bideford one might wonder why the council allows developments where extra cars are brought into town centres – and existing space is lost? In the past the council could insist on parking facilities being maintained or provided but today it can no longer do so following changes to the rules ordered by central government. If the council tries to insist on them developers can go to court and challenge their decisions – and if they (more than likely) win then the council has to bear the costs.
Having seen the plans for the new development of 30 industrial units on the Clovelly Road estate I wasn’t as excited as I hope everyone else was when news of the proposal appeared on the front of last week’s Journal. If Bideford is to remain vibrant it desperately needs new industry and world economic conditions show that the best type is the small scale specialist firm. The planned erection of 30 relatively small units will best suit these types of firms. Whether the funding is forthcoming from the private sector is yet to be seen – but how much better for entrepreneurs to invest in Bideford than say China – and cut down on expensive and environmentally harmful international freight transport.
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