Campaigners push for more opposition to mammoth 700-homes plan in Exmouth

Campaigners against plans for a monster 700-home development in Exmouth are trying to amplify opposition as the deadline for objections nears.

A Facebook group has been set up to try and publicise the plight, which is essentially vociferous opposition to a possible plan for up to 700 homes on the outskirts of the East Devon town.
The group, whose name is ‘Stop Exmo.20, Exmouth’ Supersize Development’ has alerted people to the deadline for responses, and even provided answers that residents can use to cut and paste into their objection.
East Devon residents are being asked for their views on the district’s local plan, which identifies areas where it is acceptable for homes to be built and commercial land to be created between now and 2042.
Residents have until midday on Monday 26 January to provide any comments on the plan, which can be submitted on a dedicated section of the council’s website known as Commonplace.
The site known as Exmo_20, which has courted the vast majority of opposition, would allow for the development of around 700 homes near St John in the Wilderness Church.
Even if the local plan is approved, developers would still need to submit planning applications for specific schemes, and these would need to comply with planning policy and secure the planning committee’s blessing to be approved.
Earlier this year, an initial public consultation on the local plan saw 3,500 responses from residents who raised a range of concerns.
But more than 1,100 of those were against the St John’s scheme.
Major fears related to potential harm to the nearby pebblebed heaths, which has four different designations aimed at protecting it, including being a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Besides concerns from residents about the heaths, environmental organisations including Devon Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and Natural England also voiced their fears.
Some worried that the Grade II* listed St John in the Wilderness Church could be impacted by such a large development of homes, while others feared heightened flood risk due to the clay soils and upstream location relative to Withycombe Brook.
Members of the strategic planning committee, who are responsible for crafting the local plan, heard from members of the public at their July meeting, with the majority of those speakers outlining their opposition to the St John’s site.
Other issues have also been flagged by residents. A recent water cycle study, that assessed the efficacy of the district’s sewerage system and its ability to take on waste from more homes, has raised concerns as it suggests some treatment plants are at or near capacity, and at present would exceed capacity if more homes are added to the system without upgrades occurring.
In spite of vocal opposition, though, Exmo_20 has remained in the local plan.
The district council is trying to find locations for around 21,000 homes, and if it diluted or even removed the Exmo_20 site, it would have to find other places in the district to accommodate them.
There’s also further pressure in relation to government timelines; East Devon District Council is trying to ensure its local plan is submitted within a certain timeframe, because if it misses that deadline, then it might have to build a further 5,000 homes – taking it to 26,000 over the life of the plan.
“Hitting those higher housing figures would be extremely challenging,” Ed Freeman, assistant director for planning strategy and development management at East Devon District Council, has said.
“We don’t have a solution as to how we would hit those and so that’s important to understand.”