Pipeline & Bridge Works - Letter to Axe Riverside from SDT

Copies to EDDC, tram, DCC, SDT, TrevRoad

Dear Mr Willis-Fleming

10/1177/MFUL | Temporary engineering operations to import approximately 300,000 cu m fill material to raise levels on Seaton regeneration area by an average of 2 metres, installation of temporary pipe route from Seaton regeneration site to seaborne fill delivery point. | Land Adjacent Harbour Road (north Of Harbour Road And Between Harbour Rd/Seaton Beach) Seaton.

Kate Little of East Devon District Council has replied to our email dated 22^nd January (of which you have a copy) advising us that responsibility for the safety of these structures resides with the owners of the land over which it passes.

The Axe Riverside Company is one of these landowners and I am therefore invoking regulation 2 (d) (iii) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and requiring you to supply us with all the latest drawings, technical documents, agreements and relevant correspondence with East Devon District Council and other bodies relating to the design and construction of the pipeline and associated structures to carry infill material from the sea to the regeneration site.

Thank you for your assistance.

James Semple Chairman - Seaton Development Trust

Change of Name - What do you think?

There has been a suggestion that we change our name to Planning Watch. What do you think? We would not want to get into confrontations with individual residents, but there are other issues which may concern us. There is, for example, the Court Lane application by Cavanna Homes. They acquired the property of the former primary school, and were granted permission to build St. Clare's Close. They failed to get permission to develop the former school playing field, which is designated public open space; but they fenced it off, and EDDC did nothing about it. Cavanna are now reapplying, and pretending that there never was public access: it had been well used after school hours, and particularly by the children of cricket and tennis club members. Residents would prefer their neighbours to be other householders like themselves, rather than children or the general public. What do you think? Look out for the resubmission of this planning application.
Hugh Barlow

State of the Watch - Message from Hugh Barlow

TescoWatch has undergone some reorganisation since James gave up his role as Blogmaster.

After checking with the group Coordinators (Hilary Arnold, Brian Johnson and Doug Smith), I undertook to maintain the TescoWatch operation through the good offices of Peter Arnold as Blogmaster.

We have been grateful to James for continuing to alert us all to recent developments, even if we have not all shared his slightly confrontational approach. Whatever we think of Tesco and EDDC, I judge that they are likely to respond more favourably to approaches that do not assume they are determined to ignore the hazards which we identify. While I am sure that Tesco are keen to save time and expense, and that EDDC would prefer not to be continually raising issues with the developer and their agents, that does not mean they are the direct cause of every problem.

As far as the current issues are concerned, clearly Delta Simons as Tesco's agents, tried to slip pass unnoticed a change of plans, contrary to Jubbs's recommendations which were adopted in the original plan. Now that the change of plans has been detected by the Environment Agency, their quickest and probably cheapest option is to reinstate the original plan. Not to do so would be to incur the displeasure of both the Environment Agency and Jubbs, whom they really need onside. We wait to see, and hope to get inside intelligence again of Delta Simons response. Tesco themselves would probably only get to know of it if there was a major delay.

TescoWatch members individually are welcome to get in touch with the appropriate parties, such as Health and Safety on the bridge issue. The bridge-building contractors themselves have no interest in being responsible for a bridge collapse, and may well have raised the question themselves: they just need someone to pay for the extra work, if it is not budgeted for. Again, we need to be alert to what is happening on the ground, but, unless we actually see the erection beginning without foundations, we need not assume the question has been ignored.

In general, I think we may be better received if we approach EDDC and Tesco as individual residents rather than as a campaigning group. Clearly, James himself cannot but be identified with the Seaton Development Trust.
Your comments and views welcome.
Hugh Barlow

Archaeological Update

Brian writes:

Just caught up with the progress made on achaeological matters and it seems that Stephen Reed (Devon County Archaeology Department) is happy with the procedure so far, and has been on site several times monitoring the works carried out over the whole area. So far, nothing significant has been discovered after several deep ditches crisscrossed the site. Also I understand, core bores have been done to a depth of 4 metres. The report on this is expected after the fill.

Just a thought. Can we obtain gadgets at reasonable prices to monitor noise levels?

Another serious problem with Tesco pipeline

A note from James:

I heard rumours that all is not well with the Tesco pipeline. Looking again at the pipeline drawings I noticed that the bridge carrying the pipeline over the roads has no foundations. The drawings show a massive concrete pier but it is sitting on an un-dimensioned but very shallow pad. The pipe is heavy enough but when filled with water and gravel the weight is enormous, yet no significant footings are provided.

SDT has a member who is a fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers. He has taken an interest in the noise issue but I am also going to see him with the bridge drawings for his opinion.

If this problem is confirmed, a very serious hazard is indicated. A collapsing bridge would endanger passing traffic and also the surrounding properties.

More in due course.

Environment Agency queries latest plans

An interesting document has emerged in the form of an email from the Environment Agency, dated 5th January 2011, to Tesco agents Delta Simons raising serious doubts about the latest plans to raise the regeneration site level. You can access the download link for a pdf of the document by clicking HERE

Changing the guard

My previous post reported the death of Tescowatch: but it seems this demise - like Mark Twain's -  was an exaggeration.  Whatever my feelings on the matter, a number of Tescowatch stalwarts are keen to continue with the project, and I am happy to support them.

I think it is in the nature of civil protest, where the few and weak tackle the many and strong, that some activists get so wrapped up in the banner of the protest as to lose sight of the rest of the army.  I fancy this has happened to me.

But, while I may have lost touch with the movement, the movement will continue with other leaders. I will still do work for Tescowatch; but others will be forming policy and representing Tescowatch to the powers ranged against us.

The lesson I will try to learn - and which I suggest as a policy objective for Tescowatch - is to keep in touch with the grass roots.  To this end, your comments are important.  Heretofore these comments have been moderated: that is, they come to me first and I can decide whether or not to allow them onto the blog.  This filters out the crazies and the Tesco PR people, but it also stifles legitimate comment.

Therefore, as my last administrative action, I am removing this filter and allowing direct posting without moderation.  It will be up to the new leadership to decide whether or not to continue with this policy.

2011 will bring many changes to Seaton:  here's hoping we can live with them.