Fenced off!

LAST DECEMBER fences were erected around Scotts Meadow prompting fears that they are about to be developed. The Herald Express carried the following story:
FENCING PROMPTS MEADOW DEVELOPMENT FEARS

DECEMBER 12 2009

RESIDENTS have sounded alarm bells after mesh fencing and concrete posts were installed at an unspoilt wildflower meadow in Torbay.

There have been fears in recent years about the future of Scotts Meadow, with site owner Cavanna Homes not ruling out development of the beauty spot.

The site, which is at the gateway to Torquay, could be among those earmarked for housing as part of the Government's call for 15,000 homes to be built in Torbay.

Cavanna workers have been at Scotts Meadow in recent days, installing restrictive fencing around the perimeter and flaying the site.

Jim Prowse, chairman of Scotts Meadow Project Group, said: "These meadows still have Urban Landscape Protection Area status in the local plan, which runs until 2011.

"Increasingly rare wildflower meadows like Scotts Meadow should be the last to be developed.

"Scotts Meadow was not identified in the proposed core strategy as a specific housing site for approval, but as one of a number in a range of growth options on which the council was consulting.

"In any case, Torbay Council has sensibly said it will delay publication of the draft core strategy following the public consultation because of the prospect of a General Election next spring.

"We would urge the council to reject any application for this site, and to at least defer any application until the new core strategy has been finalised and adopted by the council."

Ian Pugsley, Cavanna's head of the planning and technical department, said there were no plans to build on the site — yet.

He added: "Depending on the General Election outcome, we may want to put in an outline planning application, but that's in the future.

"We currently maintain Scotts Meadow on an annual basis, as we have for five or six years, on advice from our ecology expert.

"To keep it up to scratch, from an ecology point of view, we flay it twice a year. We've put a more secure fence there because we were getting trespassers."

A Torbay Council spokesman said there are allowances for fencing on private land, subject to height restrictions.

He added: "We will look into reports that fencing is being put up at this location, to check that it does not require planning permission.

"We have not had a planning application recently to develop Scotts Meadow.

"The site is not currently allocated for housing, but is an Urban Landscape Protection Area where the policy in general terms is that landscape considerations take priority in considering development proposals.

"In making any decision, however, the council would have to weigh up this issue as a 'material planning consideration', together with others such as the need to provide housing to meet the requirements of the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy."
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/Fencing-prompts-meadow-development-fears/article-1600142-detail/article.html

Herald Express December 12 2009

RESIDENTS have sounded alarm bells after mesh fencing and concrete posts were installed at an unspoilt wildflower meadow in Torbay.
  There have been fears in recent years about the future of Scotts Meadow, with site owner Cavanna Homes not ruling out development of the beauty spot.
  The site, which is at the gateway to Torquay, could be among those earmarked for housing as part of the Government's call for 15,000 homes to be built in Torbay.
  Cavanna workers have been at Scotts Meadow in recent days, installing restrictive fencing around the perimeter and flaying the site.
  Jim Prowse, chairman of Scotts Meadow Project Group, said: "These meadows still have Urban Landscape Protection Area status in the local plan, which runs until 2011.
"Increasingly rare wildflower meadows like Scotts Meadow should be the last to be developed.
"Scotts Meadow was not identified in the proposed core strategy as a specific housing site for approval, but as one of a number in a range of growth options on which the council was consulting.
"In any case, Torbay Council has sensibly said it will delay publication of the draft core strategy following the public consultation because of the prospect of a General Election next spring.
"We would urge the council to reject any application for this site, and to at least defer any application until the new core strategy has been finalised and adopted by the council."
   Ian Pugsley, Cavanna's head of the planning and technical department, said there were no plans to build on the site — yet.
He added: "Depending on the General Election outcome, we may want to put in an outline planning application, but that's in the future.
"We currently maintain Scotts Meadow on an annual basis, as we have for five or six years, on advice from our ecology expert.
"To keep it up to scratch, from an ecology point of view, we flay it twice a year. We've put a more secure fence there because we were getting trespassers."
   A Torbay Council spokesman said there are allowances for fencing on private land, subject to height restrictions.
He added: "We will look into reports that fencing is being put up at this location, to check that it does not require planning permission.
"We have not had a planning application recently to develop Scotts Meadow.
"The site is not currently allocated for housing, but is an Urban Landscape Protection Area where the policy in general terms is that landscape considerations take priority in considering development proposals.
"In making any decision, however, the council would have to weigh up this issue as a 'material planning consideration', together with others such as the need to provide housing to meet the requirements of the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy."