CREDITON TOWN COUNCIL

by Sue Read

QUESTIONS were raised at this week’s Crediton Town Council meeting about the planning application for an anaerobic digestion plant at Lords Meadow Industrial Estate at Crediton.

By an eight to two vote the council agreed to defer making a recommendation to its policy and forward planning committee early in July until after a site visit.

Speaking in the public question time, Dr Phillip Bratby, energy spokesman for CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) Devon told the council that he has been studying and dealing with anaerobic digesters in Devon since 2010.

In Mid Devon one plant has been operational for more than 18 months, three were under construction.

He put forward seven major concerns - the size, saying it would look like a chemical works; transport, traffic implications were enormous.

Dr Bratby said: “Unacceptable traffic movements at all times of night and day have been a huge concern of the plant at Nomansland - accompanied by lights and bleepers.”

Noise, he said there was no noise assessment. Crops, the plant would take an “enormous amount” of crops. “We have found that the provision of fodder crops disrupts normal farm trade for miles around.”

Then there was the implication for the flood plan. Dr Bratby asked if the plant would be sustainable, it could consume more energy than it produced.

He added that recent government policy was that “the primary purpose of agricultural land should be for growing food.”

He asked that whatever the town council decided, it should tell the planning authority, Mid Devon District Council, that it wanted a set of enforceable conditions to protect the public.

Mr Roland Smith, who lives at Nymet Rowland, commented that the application raised more questions than it answered.

Some of the vehicles delivering to the site would have to go through the town centre. He said it would not be possible to guarantee that vehicles would use other roads.

Saying the effect of the plant would be felt by many people for a long time, Cllr Bill Dixon was one who said the town council did not have enough information to make a recommendation now.

He asked for it to be deferred to the council’s policy and forward planning committee. Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking commented that it would have “an enormous” impact on the Creedy Valley.

Other comments were that it would be more intrusive than at first thought, it was not sustainable to grow crops to feed the digester, people in Crediton were concerned about the traffic.

However, Cllr Andi Wyer pointed out that it was on an industrial estate, so the building might not be out of place but there was the size.

Cllr Nick Way commented: “We should be mindful of the people on the Willow Walk estate.” He said he understood the plant would be a sealed unit, but would like more facts.

There was also the very long-term future with the hope of a road from the link road, this building would be on part of that route - if it ever happened.

Ed Heynes, director of Jillings Heynes Planning and James Lloyd, CEO of Biowatt Group, told councillors they would be happy to answer questions if needed. They had both spoken about the plan to the town council in February.

PHARMACY MOVE

Commenting on the proposed move of Crediton Pharmacy to the New Valley Surgery at Newcombes, councillors approved, originally going to add so long as it was only a dispensary.

There was concern over how another empty shop could affect the High Street while understanding that this was a commercial decision.

Cllr Dixon added that he understood the Pharmacy intended to continue the delivery service it has run for some years.

YES’ TO QR CODES

A request from Landscore School to professionally install QR codes at three sites owned by the town council, as part of the school’s history project, was approved.

For those not in the know, Wikipedia says a QR code (Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a machine-readable optical label that contains information about the item to which it is attached.

First designed for the automotive industry in Japan, it is those little boxes with black dots and squiggles that can be read by a mobile telephone seen on some adverts.

Town council approved of these being put at the St Boniface Statue in Newcombes Meadow, the Millennium Cross on The Green and the War Memorial on Union Road.

Chairman Cllr Frank Letch commented it was “like something out of Dr Who”, but Cllr Dan Webb said he uses them “all the time”, it was useful for getting information.

FOR MOTOR BIKES

An application to reconfigure the access and associated works for Mole Avon Trading Limited at Joseph Locke Way was approved. Also approved for Mole Avon was an application for a non-illuminated pole sign there.

An application for a motorcycle business at Crediton Tool Hire on Union Road raised objections with the town council agreeing that it would look forward to an appropriate development.

The application was for change of use of the ground floor from commercial tool hire to a retail bike outlet, showroom and workshop; to convert and extent the first floor from a flat to six-bedroom communal accommodation to accommodate customers of the biking business and convert the second floor from one flat to two one-bedroom flats.

There was some uncertainty until Cllr Webb explained that this was for motor bikes with a motor bike shop and showroom.

At first councillors recommended approval, but then there were comments about how this could impact on the Grade 1 listed parish church, especially when coming up Church Street.

It was felt something “more sympathetic” to the area would be better, would the accommodation be bookable or turn into an hotel?

It was felt the design was inappropriate to the area, doubt about a flat roof for the extension, cladding was not in the local style, and whether it would impact on properties on Bowden Hill.

MORE PLANNING

There were no objections to an application for a single storey rear and side extension to include a garage at Bray, Western Road.

But an application to build three dwellings and associated infrastructure following removal of the existing nursery building at Action for Children, Crediton Area Children’s Centre at Newcombes met with objection.

It was felt the design was too contemporary and there were doubts about the access.

There was no objection to a reserved matters (after outline approval has been given) application to build three dwellings and new vehicle access at Orchard Cottage, Churchill Drive.

Nor was there objection to an application to build a two-storey extension after demolition of the existing at Wallbrooke, Crediton.

There was no objection to an application for a single-storey extension to 10 Butt Parks.

Approval was recommended for a Listed Building Consent application for five replacement windows, replacement lintels, to put up and replacement of the gate pillar at 1 Church Street.

PARKING PROBLEMS

Complaints had been received of people parking in the disabled parking spaces and on the pavement at East Street, leaving enough room for a person to walk past but not someone with a buggy or a pram.

It was also reported that several times a taxi has gone to use the designated parking space on the High Street near the General Sir Redvers Buller pub but not been able to because of a non-taxi vehicle parked there.

These are to be reported to the police.

Complaints were also received of the worn-out road markings at the Tesco roundabout and at the bottom of the link road, and too much vegetation growing by the Brays Close steps.

At the start of the meeting a minute’s silence was observed for the MP Jo Cox who was murdered last week in her Yorkshire constituency.