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The Bradworthy Wind Turbines
Councillor
Christie's Weblog
From your Torridge District Councillor Peter Christie
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13th July '08
So at last the Government is getting serious about addressing the long-looming energy crisis with its promise to develop a whole raft of renewable energy resources. This is to be linked, however, with a new scheme to pass all large planning projects over to an unelected body called the Infrastructure Planning Commission, for decision. At first sight this seems actually quite sensible as it would by-pass the increasingly futile arguments put about by those denying that global warming is occurring. On the other hand it will allow this unelected quango to push through potentially much more dangerous schemes such as nuclear power stations and new airports (Yelland and Chivenor anyone?) Officially known as the ‘Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004’ it has taken such decisions away from district and county councillors - who might have been expected to reflect their constituents’ views. In Bideford these powers could now be used to force through what some faceless quangocrat in Bristol or wherever thinks is best for the town – Tescos at Marsh Farm a few years ago for example. It will be interesting to see how this power is first used in this area – and, perhaps more importantly, who are the placemen and women who are appointed to this quango. When it comes into being I will definitely be looking at the antecedents and emoluments of these people.
The Devon county council public exhibition on the Northam Burrows disused landfill site will have come and gone by the time this is published but I was intrigued at the answers the council gave to (admittedly self-posed) questions. Thus the proposed series of investigations into the site which start on July 7th will include both trial pits and boreholes to explore the nature of the waste dumped there over the years. The pits will be dug and restored within a single day whilst some of the boreholes will be ‘kept in place as monitoring wells to permit ongoing testing for gas or pollution within the site.’ In another answer I was intrigued to read that ‘Hazardous waste was not permitted on the site’ as I personally reported illegal dumping back in the 1990s and I know locals have spoken of problematic materials being left there. The final report on the findings is due to be finalised in early October though I am uncertain if this will also be the date it is published. Incidentally although the actual exploration sites will be surrounded by barriers ‘you are welcome to watch’ works going on and even ‘talk to the engineers’ though somehow I don’t think there will huge crowds of tourists and locals! I would add that at this week’s meeting of Torridge’s Policy Committee councillor Andrew Eastman announced the exciting news that following discussions between him, the Westward Ho! Golf Club and Natural England the latter’s directive that no action could be taken to defend the Pebble Ridge seems to have been relaxed slightly. Apparently the Golf Club may be allowed to carry out ‘small remedial repairs’ where necessary – which councillor Eastman thought would fit in exactly with what Torridge wishes to do. Clearly this policy will need to be firmed up and spelt out in more detail but at the very least it will give heart to those saying Northam Burrows should be defended rather than be abandoned to the sea under the policy of ‘Managed Retreat’.
Whilst on the subject of Westward Ho! I had a sense of déjà vu reading in the papers that the resort was the ‘worst’ in the county. I remember many years ago being told by a very senior planning officer in Torridge that the village ‘was beyond redemption’ – so much had already been ruined that we might as well not bother trying to arrest its decline. Well I’m glad to say that not everyone agreed with that pessimistic view and Westward Ho! is now staging a comeback – admittedly it is patchy but coming back it definitely is – now the main problem is where it is going to? Do we want high rise developments or do we want smaller, human scale growth? – I know what I would like and I suspect I am not alone.
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