Development proposals for Harepath Road, Seaton - Invitation to Pre-view of public exhibition

*From:*Hoey, Anthea C [mailto:Anthea.Hoey@atkinsglobal.com]
*Sent:* 05 December 2011 14:00

Dear Councillors and Officers of East Devon

Following the presentation to the East Devon Members Panel at the end of
July, Seaton Park (Homes) Ltd has been progressing its proposals for
development of land at Harepath Road, taking on board the comments made
in the Council’s response. We have sent a copy of these proposals to the
Planning Officers and requested another Members Panel presentation.

In the meanwhile, on behalf of Seaton Park (Homes) Ltd, we would like to
invite you to a Preview of the Public Exhibition that we have prepared
showing our proposals and inviting comments as a pre-application
consultation.

The preview will take place from 12.30 to 2pm on Monday 12 December at
St Clare’s Hall, Fore St, Seaton.

It will be followed straight away by the public exhibition, which will
remain open until 7pm on the Monday, and will reopen from 2pm until 7pom
on Tuesday 13 December.

We look forward to showing you the latest version of the proposals, and
receiving feedback from all who are interested.

If anyone cannot attend, but would like to receive further information
about the content of the exhibition, please let me know.

Yours sincerely

*Anthea Hoey*
Principal Planner
*ATKINS**Design & Engineering*

The Octagon, Pynes Hill, Rydon Lane,
Exeter, Devon EX2 5AZ
Tel: 01392 352900
Fax: 01392 352999
E-mail: anthea.hoey@atkinsglobal.com

To Drain or Not to Drain etc

Walking by the new Tesco store the other day, I was stuck by the lack of a storm drain channel through the site. There is a very slight depression in the ground along the Southern boundary (the sort of thing that normally collects all sorts of rubbish), but I couldn't see any sign of a channel leading to the North of the site.

Did the requirement for a drain get dropped from the plan? Has it been filled by sand from the site or is it really well hidden in amongst the fabulous new landscaping?

Large cylinder at the back of Tesco

Message from James

Subject: Tesco CHP


Colleagues,

The Tescowatch item in the Minutes of 5th October required me to
investigate the large cylinder at the back of Tesco. I did something,
but forgot to mention it at the last meeting.

On blowing up some photographs I took of these installations I resolved
the name of a Combined Heat and Power manufacturer called ENER-G.
Looking at their website, the plant will use natural gas to generate
electricity, heat and cooling with 85% efficiency. The National Grid
currently works at about 33%, so this is a significant advance in energy
efficiency. This system stores heat in a large highly insulated water
tank, andI thinkthat is what we can see on the east side of the yard.

I will ask Emma Webster to arrange a guided tour when it is up and running

James

Click and Collect

Seems Tesco 'forgot' to make provision for people to collect those things that they had ordered via the internet (Click and Collect). Planning application 11/2134/FUL is apparently to allow this to be constructed in the carpark.

So this means either a smaller car park which would be counter productive for profits, or further Tesco expansion on the site (perhaps reducing the amount of affordable housing). Not so good for employment (less delivery drivers needed) and not so good for the environment (more car journeys).

I wonder what else was not included in the original planning application. I seem to recall that an EDDC planning condition at the time was that the store should be no larger to avoid adversely affecting the town centre. Sounds to me like a death my a thousand cuts.

Green Grass or Sand Pit?

I might have got this wrong, but once land fill was completed the balance of the Tesco land on Harbour Road, the part that is due to have lots of wonderful low cost housing and hotel etc, was supposed to be hydro seeded. I was expecting that this would mean nice green fields, and an improvement in the appearance of the area.

Perhaps it is the unusual growing conditions this year, maybe a bad batch of seed, or maybe even poor application. What ever the reason, the site looks more like a sand pit than a green field. If it was a field planted for food crops, the supermarket buyer would have rejected the lot it looks so poor.

Suerly this should be sorted now while there is at least a small chance for the grass to grow before the winter. What is happening? What about the planning conditions? Who is responsible for overseeing that these are followed through? If they don't do a proper job with the grass, what chance of having the rest of the site planted to the required standard.

Tesco Filling Station

from Hugh Barlow

I was called today by the Devon County Council petroleum officer with responsibility for this area. In a much earlier conversation with Steve Moore of the Environment Agency, the latter had made it plain to James and me that a filling station in this flood-liable location with high groundwater levels would require casing the storage tanks in concrete (to prevent them from "floating" in his words).

Today the Petroleum Officer informed me that, according to the plans which he had received in early July, Tesco had without prompting met all the requirements of a filling station in this sort of location. There would be approx. 1ft (rather than the usual 6ins) concrete slabs below and above the two 125,000 litre tanks, which would rest at datum level (mean sea level). Along the sides would be a coffer dam of double-skin sheet steel, and, once the tanks were inserted, the space would be back-filled with concrete. Pipework would be double-skinned plastic. Regular inspection should ensure that any deterioration in the outer skin was detected before the second layer was affected.

He himself would have oversight, and there was due to be an on-site meeting in August before work commenced in September. Without the licence which he issues, the site cannot operate. But it is the Environment Agency who would be the official consultee.

Similar provision in other South West locations had proved 100% effective in river flooding, with no leakage at all.

Incidentally, he informed me that two earlier filling stations in the Harbour Road area had been cased in concrete when they were decommissioned.

Our concerns on this particular score appear to have been met.

Taster Day for Wildlife and Environmental Conservation

From: Hannah Abrehart <Hannah.Abrehart@bicton.ac.uk>
Date: 21 July 2011 10:19
Subject: Re. Taster Day for Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Sat 6th Aug

Hello,

I am wondering whether it would be possible for you to let your members/volunteers know about a taster day that we are holding at Bicton College on Saturday 6^th August for Wildlife and Environmental Conservation, a new course that we will be running from September. Please find the attached flyer and course details. I am very happy to post you paper copies if you’d prefer. The taster is aimed at anybody 16+ who would like to try out some practical aspects of the course and find out more about what it entails from the Countryside Team at Bicton.

Many thanks

Hannah

Hannah Abrehart

School Liaison Officer
T: 01395 562324/07775 034896
E: hannah.abrehart@bicton.ac.uk
www.bicton.ac.uk

Tesco Site Working Hours

From: Andrew Ennis [mailto:AEnnis@eastdevon.gov.uk]
Sent: 29 June 2011 10:52
To: Nick Stephen
Cc: Cllr Mrs S C J Jones; Cllr J A Knight; Simon Smale; Cllr Peter Burrows; Andy Carmichael; Cllr I Thomas; Mr D Mears
Subject: Tesco Seaton Development - working hours - UNCLASSIFIED:

Dear All

RE: Tesco Seaton Development

A very small amount of site working outside the permitted hours was anticipated and has now been approved by the EHO. The justification is that the processes (continuous concrete pumping) and crane lifts require a continuous operation of around 11 hours so cannot be completed within the approved 08:00 to 18:00 period. None of this work will take place on Saturdays, Sundays or bank holidays. No vehicle movements of work activity will start before 07:00 and works will be completed not later than 18:30. The additional disruption for residents should therefore be minimal but the contractors have agreed that they will deliver a newsletter to households locally before Friday.

Agreed date earliest start time latest finish time reason

July

Friday 1^st 07:00 18:30 set up (1 hour), continuous concrete pour (10 hours) and dismantle pump (30 minutes)

Tuesday 5^th 07:00 18:30 set up (1 hour), continuous concrete pour (10 hours) and dismantle pump (30 minutes)

Friday 8^th 07:00 18:30 set up (1 hour), continuous concrete pour (10 hours) and dismantle pump (30 minutes)

Weds 13^th 07:00 18:30 set up (1 hour), continuous concrete pour (10 hours) and dismantle pump (30 minutes)

August

TBC 07:30 18:30 crane lifts – require either a 07:30 start or an 18:30 finish

TBC 07:30 18:30 crane lifts – require either a 07:30 start or an 18:30 finish

Andrew Ennis

Environmental Health Manager - Environmental Protection

East Devon District Council

Knowle

Sidmouth EX10 8HL

tel: 01395 571583

mobile: 07872 967 030

web: www.eastdevon.gov.uk

Community Right to Buy in Jeopardy

Long shot, but do any of us have contacts in the House of Lords?

Hugh

16 June 2011 Community Right to Buy in jeopardy

Dear Hugh, I am writing to ask if you can help with an urgent piece of lobbying. The Localism Bill is in the House of Lords and I have been tipped off that, as a result of scaremongering by the Countryside Landowners Association and others, the government is considering watering down the Community Right to Buy – for example reducing the window for community groups to prepare a bid to a mere 3 months. Do you have any contacts in the House of Lords? – if so a personal email from you to them, enclosing Locality's briefing, would be very much appreciated. It would need to get there ideally today or tomorrow, or by the beginning of next week at the very latest. You can find out how to contact peers at the house of lords via http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peers/ You can also highlight this issue by following @localitynews on twitter and contributing to the debate using the tags #bigsociety, #righttobuy and #localism - or by signposting to Locality's blog post on this issue. Thanks very much indeed. Very many thanks Steve Wyler Chief Executive Officer, Locality

East Devon LDF Danger

This is not to do with Tesco at all, but I think it would be of interest to all TW members. The Development Trust will be pursuing it in conjunction with the Town Council.

Hugh

Dear All,

You will see from the statement here:

http://planningblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/your-verdict-the-draft-presumption-in-favour-of-sustainable-development/#more-3588

that if an area is NOT protected by a Local Plan, LDF or neighbourhood plan, the presumption will be that it is therefore development land and that it should be developed with maximum speed.

If East Devon does not get its LDF sorted soon and if Seaton does not get a neighbourhood plan sorted at the same time, all land in Seaton not covered in the LDF will be at risk, no matter what it is.

Regards
Sandra Semple

EDDC Cabinet Meeting indecision on Underfleet toilets

A report from Hugh

Outcome disappointing but not disastrous. The decision on whether to demolish as proposed or to retain temporarily has been deferred till next Cabinet meeting in a month. Talk is of refurbishing or replacing with updated facilities: we will have to work very hard to avoid replacement by something like the West Walk toilets.

There was general sympathy with the need at this location, but uncertainty over whether the existing toilets could be retained without detriment to the overall public realm plan.

Asked for background to the issue, a Council officer chose to ignore reference to last night's discussion and decision at the Development Management Committee, and referred back to the decision of Cabinet in Dec. 09 to clear away the toilets with the other redundant buildings in order that nothing should mar the approach to Tesco store (other toilets were due to replace, but not provided by EDDC): he did not see that anything in the situation had changed, and said that the decision had been recorded on the website for anyone to see.

The Chair was at fault in not calling for a report of the previous night's decision, which was to approve the application in principle, but to delegate with a strong recommendation to retain the existing toilets and to look at making the street furniture and lighting more in keeping with Seaton generally and the tram station in particular.

The ward members, along with the Chair (and Vice-Chair, I think it was) were to be part of this consultation, but all of this was subject to a decision of Cabinet whether or not to reverse their decision of Dec. 09. The Tesco representatives had been shown Barbara's redrawing of the public realm, and were perfectly happy with it.

The DMC Chair, Mark Williamson, was eventually called and gave a potted version of this decision. Tonight's discusion was concluded by Coun. Graham Godbeer, who was in a position to say that the situation had changed, in that the building of the Visitor Centre had not yet got even a date, and the Cycle Hub funds had been withdrawn (both of these would have supplied public toilets).

In the course of discussion, several councillors had been in favour of retaining the toilets without further question: Peter Halse (Chair of the Council), Douglas Hull of Axminster, Jill Edson and our own Stephanie Jones had all spoken unequivocally (only the latter two were members of this committee; the other two had attended specifically to support the case, though they also had other matters to address later).

After the decision to defer decision, Mark Williamson (Chair of Development Management Committee) came outside to take me by the hand and ask me to convey to all the people who had come on the coach his appreciation of their attendance and their patience, sitting quietly through this long session. Peter Halse was very disappointed with their indecision, and thought that the Council Leader (Paul Diviani) with whom he had been in touch, would back him (i.e. in listening to public opinion}.

We just have to wait to see who wins. I wish I could have given a more satisfactory report.

Underfleet Toilets Protest Meeting

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Vicar has agreed to chair the Public Meeting on the demolition of the Underfleet toilets in Seaton Town Hall on Wednesday 8th June from 7 pm.

The Agenda and the graphics to be used by Seaton Development Trust are on the SDT website at http://www.seatondevtrust.org.uk/, go to Groups, then Public Realm.

See you on Wednesday.

James Semple

Tesco Site Noise

Email from Sandra Semple

To: nwright@eastdevon.gov.uk

Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 10:20 AM

Subject: Nosie and operating hours, Tesco site - Seaton

Dear Mr Wright,

I see from a letter on the planning application site 09/0019 that someone complained about noise coming from the Tesco site from piling. You replied, correctly, that there has been no piling so you say in your letter that there was therefore no particular source of unusual noise. There IS a source of noise similar to (or perhaps greater than) piling. There is a vibrating roller constantly working on the part of the site that will be occupied by the Tesco store. This vibrating roller (which has a decibel level greater than 100 according to Tesco's own documents) has been working most of the time from 8 am - 8 pm Monday - Saturday.

Initially, EDDC agreed that infill could take place at any time, 24 hours a day 7 days a week but said that after that Tesco would revert to "normal construction hours". This was put in writing by Ms Wallace of EDDC Environmental Health. However, as soon as the infill process ceased, EDDC gave Tesco permission to work 8 am - 8 pm to level the store site prior to construction of the store said to be commercing on 13 June 2011. After that (again, according to Ms Wallace and again in writing) normal construction hours (8 am - 6 pm Monday - Friday and 8 am - 1 pm Saturdays) are supposed to be in force unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Personally, I predict that normal construction hours will never happen. Tesco will continue to work whatever hours it wants and make whatever noise it wants, citing exceptional circumstances on a daily or weekly basis as it suits them. I think it unlikely that EDDC will do anything whatsoever to change this - it has shown no sign of being able to tame the Tesco tiger.

It might therefore be best not to make sweeping statements about there being no abnormal noise levels on the site. There have been abnormal noise levels, there continues to be abnormal noise levels and I have no doubt that such noise will continue at anti-social hours for many months to come.

Yours sincerely,
Sandra Semple

SAVE ST CLARE'S AND SEATON TOILETS- HELP ME GET 500 SIGNATURES!

Message from Hugh and forwarded plea from Sophie O'Connell

These issues are related to most members' interests, and the issue of the Underfleet toilets is directly related to Tesco in that EDDC are asking Tesco to demolish them, which is not necessary for their access, and not particularly to their advantage (do they want to provide the public toilets for coach parties?). These issued are more a case of watching DCC and EDDC.

The forms for signature, if people are willing to sign them, need to be printed off and submitted to Town Council by June 10 (St.Clare's) or District Council by June 12 re toilets.

Hugh

From Sophie; her message refers to attached files which ofcourse are not attached here, so please contact Sophie on sophie.oconnell@sky.com to get hold of these.

Hi all,

I really need your help as Devon County Council and East Devon District Council are trying to take away St Clare's and the toilets at the Underfleet!

DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL WANT TO SELL ST CLARE'S on the open market and Seaton Town Council is being offered the chance to have it in either an asset transfer or for an agreed sum. Seaton Town Council have a meeting on MONDAY JUNE 13TH AT 7.30PM to decide if Seaton will keep or lose St Clare's once and for all. I have attached a copy of a form which asks for residents to support keeping St Clare's for Seaton's community and not have it sold onto developers.

I have also attached a poster for a protest meeting on Wednesday June 8th at 7pm in Seaton Town Hall arranged by Seaton Development Trust and Sustainable Seaton to make sure we stop the TOILETS ON THE UNDERFLEET CAR PARK from being demolished bye EDDC and Tesco.

There is a petition that you can sign online to save the Underfleet toilets http://www.petitiononline.com/sosasset/petition.html

or you can print off the attached "SAVE THE UNDERFLEET TOILETS" word document to get your friends and family to sign.

IN TOTAL WE NEED 500 SIGNATURES TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF SAVING THE TOILETS

Below is a link to the SAVE ST CLARE'S group where you will get regular updates on what is happening with the UNDERFLEET TOILETS AND ST CLARE'S. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_124353947645650&id=124372057643839

I have also attached a PDF file designed to be printed off and posted up in windows, cars, shop fronts, or even taken to meetings. Hopefully this will help spread the message showing East Devon and Devon County that we will not be pushed around any longer and that we deserve to keep our tourists and community facilities!

FINALLY .....

PLEASE, PLEASE FORWARD YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS WE REALLY NEED ALL THE SUPPORT WE CAN GET!!!!!

Thank you!

Water Polution Reporting

Message from Hugh Barlow, 1st June. This first message is important and invites your contribution when you have anything to report. The various messages following are there to give you the background on how this came about.

I met Doug Parker today as arranged. He is the Environment Agency officer responsible for water quality, and in this capacity is a regular visitor to this site, among others in Seaton and elsewhere.

It was a pleasure to meet a professional person who welcomes public watchfulness.

Contractors do not usually contact the Agency if they have a problem, but they are obliged to keep the Agency informed once the EA has been alerted, and remedial action or continued monitoring is required by the Agency (Doug is visiting weekly anyway). So they are reliant on the public for informing them of any disconcerting new observations.

He was alerted to the flooding of the tramway car park flower bed, and had asked the site manager to provide a sump just inside the site boundary: once the tidally affected groundwater level had lowered, and the salt water off the site had begun to go down, this had the effect of lowering it more rapidly, until all that was visible was the white deposit on the asphalt and in the flower bed. We discussed this on the very spot.

We inspected the ditches alongside the tramway, and went far enough to see how impossibly silted up the outlet to the estuary is (the outlet is visible in his pictures, under the tramway bridge). This is the responsibility of the County Council, but discussion with Natural England led to the postponement of the clearance last year during the birds' breeding season. He is now concerned that it has still not been done, and may become urgent even in the breeding season, if warmer weather leads to the growth of the potentially toxic blue-green kind of algae.

Currently, all that is visible in the stagnant water is ordinary blue (almost petrol-blue) algae, and ochre staining (which might be iron stain from the site, but is more likely from a local ground source).

He himself is not a flooding expert, but would recognise a potential flooding problem, and will already have advised his colleague Steve Moore of the blocked outlet.

So Doug would like, from any local observations, preferably

photos of any of the following in the ditches:

• bright blue salt water
• blue-green algae
• bright ochre tinting.
• serious mosquito infestation

The first is now unlikely to recur, the second is quite possible, the last two are possibilities. Basically, any startling change of colour is worth notifying, because it could indicate serious pollution.

He is also concerned with the Harbour View pumping station, which is close to full capacity. Any blockage there could cause a backflow leading to raised manhole covers. If anyone sees sewage leaking into the water courses, they should contact him immediately and he will try to be on site in thirty minutes. This obviously applies anywhere and not just in the Tesco site. Most of these are problems

of the low-lying ground, and have nothing specifically to do with Tesco.

Problems which happen to be thrown up by the Tesco development are not the only problems, but we are being educated in public awareness. I was given to believe that, on some issues at least, the public will be taken seriously.

Hugh

I have Doug's e-mail address, and the Environment Agency is in the phone book.

From: Doug Parker

To: Hugh Barlow

Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 4:50 PM

Subject: FW: Harbour Road Development Site - Seaton

Dear Mr Barlow,

Thank you for your observations, as this is our first contact I will explain my role in this development. As a basic Environment Officer I cover various areas from Water Quality, Water Resources to Waste and Fisheries Enforcement. I have been aware of the old camp site for several years and more so now with the new development starting with me visiting the site during the demolition phase, checking that all the various types of waste were disposed of correctly, then the monitoring of the returning sea water and now I monitor water quality discharges that leave the site. My main area of interest for now is the water quality of the local watercourses around the site, then once construction starts I will also check their disposal routes of all their packaging and building waste.

Please see the attached photos which were taken on Friday the 20th of May, reference your concerns about the outlet to the estuary. I believe that this part of the drainage ditch has not been maintained by the LA for over 18 months plus see below part of an email which I sent to EDDC only last week.

Regards

Doug Parker

EO - EM East Devon

From: Hugh Barlow
To: Steve Moore

Sent: Monday, May 30, 2011 11:11 PM

Subject: Re: Harbour Road, Seaton: infill consequences

Steve

Thanks for passing this to Doug Parker. Can I through you relay to him my corrected observations?

The berm was not, as I thought at one stage, covered over (I had misread a couple of photographs taken from the tramway by a colleague), but it was clearly overwhelmed by the initial squeezing of sand and water out of the fill and into the ditch. Along the other sides of the development, and clearly visible from the tramway by the car park, the sand heap reaches right to the ditch, and sand obviously blows or is washed directly into the ditch with nothing to prevent it.

At least until the sand is fixed by grass, this situation will continue, the ditches will be clogged with sand, and the salinity of the adjacent area increased. What happens in the event of a major rainstorm?

The increase in the salinity of the groundwater and of the ditches must eventually affect a wider area, and I am not sure what the impact is on the outlet to the estuary.

I should be glad to know what you make of these concerns.

Hugh Barlow

From: Steve Moore, to Hugh Barlow, Doug Parker, May 24th

Hugh , apologies for not getting back to you last week but I've been either on training or on holiday since you wrote.

In general terms I comment upon flooding related matters in relation to planning applications for a number of Councils My involvement therefore typically ends when a planning permmission is granted. It is then for the planning authority to ensure the dev't is built or any 'conditions' are carried out to the satisfaction of the Council. Matters relating to site runoff, water quality , impact upon the wider water environment , etc , are typically dealt with by my colleagues in Environment Protection . In this case Doug Parker is the chap who looks after such matters in Seaton and as such I've forwarded your e-mail to Doug for his information and/or action. I trust this is of assistance . Please feel free to get back to me if I can help you further.

kind regards Steve.

Doug, over to you for action / update to Hugh. Please give me ring if I can be of any assistance to you. Steve.

---

From: Hugh
Sent: 19 May 2011 10:38
To: Moore, Steve
Cc: James Semple
Subject: Harbour Road, Seaton: infill consequences

Dear Steve

I am content that various consultancies and agencies, including the Environment Agency, are monitoring and advising on site, but I would be interested to know how you view specific aspects of the current state of progress.

As I see it, a gravel-filled berm was constructed per plan between the raised site and the boundary rhyne, but the raised area has been extended over this berm. As it stands, then, there is nothing to prevent sand-laden water from the saturated fill from draining directly into the rhyne and clogging it up, as appears to have happened already. What remedial measures can be taken or have such already been recommended?

Thank you for your continued interest in this difficult development.

Yours sincerely

Hugh Barlow

Chair, Seaton Development Trust

Conversations regarding excess water on Tesco site.

From Hugh Barlow, 18th May

I have had three conversations today, with Tom Shipp of Jubbs, with Garry Mountain the site manager, and with Fran of the Express and Echo.

Fran was following up the report that EDDC gardeners had not been able to replant the flower beds between the tram station and the car park, because water levels were too high: they were full to a few inches below the surface with salty water. I raised this with Tom Shipp, and he referred me to Garry Mountain.

Garry's understanding was that it was the water level rather than its salinity which was the problem. He pointed out, with some justification, that the previous bedding plants had still been flourishing. We differed somewhat over the question of salinity, and I suspect that he has been over-reassured by Delta Simons, the consultants who have been measuring salinity, that any extra salinity represented only “a drop in the ocean”. My point was that it depended where that drop was concentrated. He knew that the piped outlet had been to a point well away from the coral reefs and sensitive protected area of Lyme Bay.

I suspect that the salt has been more concentrated than they recognise: I have not previously seen the water of the ditch so blue, and we saw the white deposits round the settlement lagoons, where the salt water had evaporated. Fran had very sensibly asked how salt water from the bay became more salty on the site, and I believe that is because it has absorbed salt from the dredged material, particularly as it warmed up out of the sea. Garry also thought the water could not be any different out of the sea rather than in it.

Garry had a mixed explanation for the levels of water oozing out from the site. In the first instance, the sand was super-saturated (more so than the intended gravel would have been), and simply oozed out as it was squeezed down. Then groundwater was being forced up, through fence-holes and other breaks in the surface, as the weight of fill (or surcharge) compacted the underlying silt: this water, though mixing with the site water, would be only brackish to a normal degree. Lastly, spring tides are currently keeping the groundwater levels raised above normal. He expects levels to go down steadily without pumping out or releasing into the estuary.

One explanation here was especially helpful. We had, many of us, been puzzled by the earlier trial embankment, to test the extent and rate of settlement. This was not to test how far the fill would sink, but how far the underlying silt would be compacted by that weight (so it did not matter what the test material was). So they have imported 4 metres of sand and gravel (as surcharge), to compact the underlying silt down to the required 4 metre level. This Garry expected to take about 28 days: I suspect this is more hope than expectation, but it is probably based on what happened with the trial embankment. It clearly explains why the mountain of fill is so much higher than we expected.

My own interpretation of events includes the fact that, according to Mr Shipp and the original plans, there is a ten- or twelve-metre wide gravel-filled berm between the raised site and the ditch, but this has been virtually covered over by the fill material: it was intended to absorb any water and solid materials that were washed out from the site. There were also supposed to be sandbags and straw bales to absorb these, but we only saw sandbags, and no distance between the fill heap and the ditch.

Jubb's site inspection is due tomorrow, and it would be interesting to know what they make of the situation.

Mr Shipp and Jubbs are working together with other consultants on the longer term water management measures. He would be concerned if the present situation persisted.

The Environment Agency and Environmental Health have been kept informed, and I understand something had been done about the mosquito infestation. Otherwise, whatever is in the ditch is not being released, but left to soak away naturally, so the environment is not likely to suffer any sudden impacts, but Garry Mountain is happy to answer questions as best he can, and Mr Shipp says that our concerns have been justified.

CEMP approval query

Sandra Semple has forwarded to us this message from A D, see below... first Sandra's comment...

I have already told this person that there is no recourse to justice if EDDC walks all over us, unless someone raises the money which would be needed for a judicial review. I have told him to make his views known to EDDC's Development Management Committee (when it is elected on 25 May), Seaton Town Council, our three district councillors and the newspapers but told him that, in my experience, Tesco does exactly what it wants. I have told him to go to next council meeting and the next development trust meeting if he wants to see if he can get any further support or assistance.

You might want to put his point on Tescowatch.

What A D wrote....

Noted your & Barbara Dearden-Potters concerns in the Seaton Recorder about the latest Tesco planning app.

Are you aware of the situation with the main application 09/0019/MFUL?

There is a condition that they must get approval of their CEMP Construction Environment Management Plan.

They submitted a plan on 7 April, it ignores the DCC HATOC findings of March.

It also says see Planning Documents “Conditions” posted Friday April 8, 2011, page 2 Signet letter, says

“You will doubtless keep us informed of the results of consultation as it is important that what are deemed as acceptable haulage routes are approved at your committee on 3 May so that the overall programme for construction of the store can be maintained”.

Fortunately we managed to stop it going on the Dev Commitee agenda just before the election.

So, I believe at the moment there is an opportunity to say to Tesco – hold it – we have to sort out this CEMP and a few other issues as well.

But perhaps our planners will use their “delegated powers” not to hold up the baked beans.

What is Happening with Water in the Lagoon?

Now that the pipeline is being dismantled, where is the balance of the water in the settlement lagoons going? Looks like a pump has been set up on Lagoon 2, but where is the water being pumped? Perhaps it is going down the drain, otherwise across the site. Does anyone know or care?

Stagnant Water

----- Original Message ----- From: "Semple_mail"
To: "Jim Knight <""Cllr J A Knight ">" ; "Cllr Mrs S C J Jones" ; "Peter Burrows"
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 6:48 PM
Subject: Tramway/Tesco water situation

Attached pictures, taken this afternoon, tell their own story. Pumps
are going 24 hours a day without making much of a difference. What a
greeting for people coming to visit the tramway.

Regards
Sandra Semple

Note from Hugh: Barbara has raised the issue of stagnant water with Countryside Services.