WALK ON…
Surprisingly the beautiful Parish of Gittisham has one of the shortest lengths of footpaths and bridleways of any parish in Devon (less than 2km). That means there are fewer opportunities for Gittisham parishioners to simply get walking, by themselves, with their families, or their dogs, whether it be for recreation, or just going about our daily lives; work, shopping, visiting friends and relatives, and anything else not mentioned in the above (oh yes, running).
Here is the important point, that means we tend to use our cars more; well, that’s not good for our bodies or the environment. What’s more the lanes get more dangerous, and we all start moaning, as we drive along, that there are many more cars on the road than there used to be. Walking is a great way of relieving frustration and anxiety, using cars less is a positive contribution to reducing carbon emissions.
One of the projects Gittisham Parish Council has been busy with in recent years, is the establishment of safe walking routes within the Parish. The Parish Council has been focusing on establishing two functional routes. The first would follow existing farm tracks for about 750 metres from the Hayne Farm Shop, west around several fields, arable and pasture, to emerge on the lane into the village, just by a small pond. This is path would leave a walk of about the same distance into Gittisham Village on a lane, but it would enable residents of the new Hayne Farm Estate to access on foot the many community events at Gittisham Village Hall, visit the church or playground, and connect to walking routes far and beyond to Ottery St Mary, and even Sidmouth. Likewise, the route would provide a safer walking route for villagers to access Honiton facilities, or the local pubs. The second route under consideration would again use an old farm track from the Hayne Farm Estate, that went under a railway bridge traversing fields north and emerge, hey presto, at the entrance to the Combe Garden Centre, a total distance of less than 300 metres, but avoiding any traffic. The Garden Centre is a popular destination for Gittisham residents who, at the moment have to run the gauntlet along a busy single-track lane, dodging cars by hopping onto a narrow slippery grass verge, all rather treacherous.
Gittisham Parish Council has been in negotiations with the Combe Estate, Baker Estates, and Devon County Council. Understandably landowners are often reluctant to grant new rights of way, particularly when it may compromise farming. Devon County Council, in particular the highways department, has an interest in establishing new walking routes, as it believes in the well-being and environmental benefits. To that end DCC will negotiate new routes with landowners and, help fund maintenance once they are established. Historically, if one looks at old maps of the Parish around the 1900’s, there were many miles of functional routes for folk on foot. Farmers moved cattle, the postman, and doctor, and folk generally visited remoter dwellings by direct routes across the countryside. In recent times over the country, walking groups (like the Ramblers Association) and individuals, have tried quite legitimately to reopen such old routes by taking their legitimacy often as far as the courtroom. You may have heard in the last few weeks the present government removed the date of 2032 as the last date such disputed routes could be considered, there is now no time limit.
Anyway, before I start rambling on, this is an ongoing project that GPC are working steadily towards,
we have the support of the under resourced DCC, and we need to convince landowners of the huge
benefits that could ensue. If you support this project and, you might even want to get involved please get in touch, we could even form a small pressure group. Conversely, if you believe this is not the sort of activity the GPC should concern itself with, in the interests of democracy, please let us know.
Adam Powell – Gittisham Parish Councillor,
Norman Lockyer Observatory
GITTISHAM COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
There have been many changes to our village community over the past few years and perhaps the time is right to introduce to our new residents the work and objectives of the Gittisham Community Land Trust (GCLT) and at the same time to also update the rest of the community on the progress so far. The story is full of twists and turns!!!
The primary objective of the GCLT is to provide affordable housing to rent for people with a strong local connection to the village. The project has been 15 years in the making. It began with the identification of a housing need by the local community through the Parish Plan back in 2010. There were a number of practical obstacles to moving forward and nothing happened to investigate this perceived need until 2016. However, from these distant beginnings, the Community Land Trust emerged. Several events took place in 2016, including a Parish wide Housing Need survey, the outcome of which identified a need for 6 affordable homes to rent for the village community. The GCLT was formally registered as a Community Benefit Society in October 2018 and a Board of Directors was elected and accountable to shareholders within the Society. To meet EDDC Local Plan policy requirements the project must be a community led proposal. The GCLT then undertook a site selection process and a preferred site was identified at the former farm buildings serving Town Farm on Exeter Hill. The site was subsequently endorsed by the community at a public meeting in May 2019. The site lies outside the conservation area but it is washed over by the AONB. The proximity to listed buildings at Clyst Hayes and Town Farm House were recognised as important considerations to take into account in any design work. Other important considerations which needed to be addressed included access design, management of surface water, ecology, biodiversity, trees and landscaping.
Discussions with EDDC resulted in a mix of units, 4 x 2 bed and 2 x 3 bed, being agreed to provide the best balance of accommodation for the need identified and for subsequent ongoing need. A Housing Allocation Plan, which sets out the how the finished housing would be allocated with priority to persons with local connections, was prepared and agreed. A further check on housing need confirmed an ongoing need for 6 dwellings.
Throughout the project, the land owners, the Combe Estate, have been entirely supportive of this community project. They have provided the site at nil cost and will benefit by the provision of 3 serviced plots on the site for estate usage. Architect’s (ECA) were appointed and a Housing Association development partner, South Devon Rural HA (SDRHA) joined the development team in Spring 2020 together with a variety of site investigation consultants who were engaged to inform the design process. Inevitably the COVID lockdown periods (March 2020 to March 2021) created delays but a scheme emerged that picked up on aspects of the village in terms of layout, materials, setting and scale.
In February 2021 a pre-application submission was presented to EDDC and received a positive response with no additional information listed as being required. The details of the preferred scheme were put on display for public viewing and comment in the Village Hall in June 2021. The public exhibition was well attended and the vast majority of comments received were very supportive of the proposals that were presented. Further design work, together with options for managing surface water and ensuring an energy efficient development, were undertaken. At all times it must be remembered that there is a balance to be found between the cost limitations arising from the level of grant and capital funding available and
meeting every one’s expectation in respect of design, access, control of surface water etc., and of course, the core objective of delivering an affordable rented housing scheme. However, the initial costings indicated a significant overspend and consequently it was necessary to revisit the scheme to see where possible savings could be found without compromising the design concept as previously presented to the community. At this stage the SDRHA was confident that the scheme was viable. Unfortunately, we began to encounter a number of legal delays and negotiations with the Estate and the Housing Association became complicated.
In March 2023 SDRHA advised that it was unable to continue support the scheme. The loss of our HA partner at such an important stage was both disappointing and frustrating. The GCLT board in considering options for the way forward resolved that we should acknowledge the current difficulties but having achieved so much we should remain positive and proceed with the submission of the planning application
as soon as possible. A positive outcome to the planning application would provide a clear indication to any potential Housing Association partner of the wider merits of this proposal.
The planning application was submitted in February 2024 but legal issues involving the Land Registry delayed registration of the application by EDDC. Further delays in registration were encountered as a result of new legislation regarding Bio Diversity requirements. The planning application was finally registered as a valid application in June 2024. The planning application No is 24/0514/FUL. There was every reason to be optimistic that with a positive pre app consultation in 2021 and legal and site consultant reports completed, that the application would move smoothly to determination. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Despite the positive pre app outcome in 2021, English Heritage and the EDDC Conservation Officer raised design and siting objections to the proposed scheme. This was very disappointing and extremely frustrating given that the purpose of a pre app submission was to avoid such situations arising. The consequences of these new objections have been a need to review again of the design of the proposed dwellings together with some siting adjustments. The design changes to the development will show a different picture to that which was previously displayed to the community in 2021 and as a “community led” project it is important that continuing involvement of the community is maintained.
It is therefore planned that the revised drawings will be placed on display in the Village Hall on Tuesday 11th February 2025 between 3.00pm and 8.00pm. Further viewing of the plans will be available at the Community Kitchen on Thursday 13th February. Opportunities to comment will be available. The Annual General Meeting of the GCLT is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 11th March 2025 at 7.00pm in the Village Hall. We would welcome any new members to the GCLT and application forms are available on the GCLT Web site (www.gittisham-clt.org.uk) and will be available at the commencement of the AGM. We would welcome new Directors to the GCLT Board and an application form will be circulated with the Notice of AGM papers.
David Valentine, Chairman GCLT
| Gittisham Parish Council FEBRUARY 2025 REPORT |
| Five councillors met for the February meeting. Alasdair Bruce (EDDC), Phil Twiss (DCC) and one member of the public were also present. Energy saving. Phil Twiss said householders who want to make their homes more energy-efficient but are unsure of what steps to take next can get free impartial advice from trusted local experts at https://www.energysavingdevon.org.uk/ The Energy Saving Devon Advice Service provides personalised consultations, helping residents to make informed decisions about improving energy efficiency in their homes. This could include a free home visit from a local energy advisor to help you understand which energy saving measures are best suited to your home, advice on grants you may be eligible for as well as solutions to issues such as damp and mould, condensation or under heating. To find out more, or to book your free home visit, contact your local community energy organisation by ‘phone or WhatsApp on 0800 999 1439, or email Carol Hall said she was waiting to hear from the service to see if they would be interested in holding an event in the village hall. EDDC Local Plan. Councillors discussed at length how the parish council should proceed in the light of the decision by East Devon District Council’s Strategic Planning Committee to approve a policy which sees land west of Hayne Lane allocated for a mixed-use development to provide 310 homes and 14.6 ha to accommodate employment. The policy will still be subject to an examination in public by a planning inspector, but councillors were undecided on what could be gained by continuing to oppose what seems to be inevitable – particularly given Government targets for house building. It was agreed that Alasdair Bruce should make enquiries at EDDC as to how much input the parish council can have in developing the masterplan for the area. Finance. Members agreed the finances. Crimes. December 2024: Meadow Acre – 1 x anti-social behaviour Hedge Field Close – 1 x violence and sexual offences Hayne Lane – 1 x violence and sexual offences Planning applications. a) 24/1420/MRES – Land Off Hayne Lane Gittisham Honiton EX14 3PD – Reserved matters application in respect of matters of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for the construction of 37 no. residential dwellings and associated garages, infrastructure and landscaping all in association with outline permission 22/1322/MOUT b) 25/0061/TCA – Allotment opposite Garlands Gittisham EX14 3AJ – variety of tree pruning measures Councillors had no objection to a). They asked if b) could be revised, following the recent storm damage to trees in the allotment. Road closures. 17–19 February – road to Catshayes Farm closed for installation of replacement bridge railings. A diversion will be in place. 03-08 April: road closed through Alfington again for SW Water. Casual vacancies – new councillors wanted. The clerk said if EDDC receives no request for an election at the end of a period of 14 working days from 6th February (i.e. by 25th), the Democratic Services Department will advise GPC that it may co-opt two people to the vacancies. Co-option is the process by which the parish council selects a new councillor. Next meeting. Thursday 7th March at 7.30pm in the parish room. |