Feeling better

Sorry to have been so feeble.  I am feeling better now.

I have put in a FoI request to the Environment Agency for their report on the Tesco Ziggurat, and am compiling a complaint to EDDC.

Tesco Planning decision

Well, the infill application 10/1177/MFUL was approved, after a very poor quality discussion.  Neither the officers nor the committee members seemed to understand the issues, or be very interested in them.

Now, my contact at the Environment Agency is refusing to tell me what he has found on the Tesco site.  I could bludgeon it out of them with Data Protection legislation, I suppose; but I don't feel like doing this any more.

The Tesco heap of dirt

I had an email from an anonymous reader of this blog questioning the relevance of my earlier posts on the Tesco Ziggurat.  After all, he/she said, it is just a heap of dirt !   

So it is, but upon a heap of dirt just like this one, Tesco propose to regenerate our town: by selling the land on to someone who (hopefully) will build houses, a hotel and a community centre on it. If they collapse like the heap has collapsed, what good will that do ?

In the meantime, let us see what has happened to the heap.  Look at the following pictures:

You will notice a big change, from the usual shape on the 14th to the seriously flattened shape on the 17th.  So what happened between the two dates ?

I don't know for sure, but on the 16th September the site was due to have a visit from the Environment Agency.  Either Tesco made the changes, or they did.

I have written to the EA asking for information on the heap before the Tuesday planning meeting.  If it arrives in time, I will let you know.

The Crucial Meeting

Oyez ! Oyez ! Oyez !

The Tesco Infill project is being discussed at the meeting of the East Devon Planning Committee at the Council Chamber, the Knowle, Sidmouth on Tuesday 21st September 2010 from 2 p.m.,  and public participation is invited.

In fact, come earlier at 1 p.m. and talk to the Panorama camera team who are doing a programme on supermarkets.  They are not being allowed to film inside the Council Chamber, so will need to meet people outside.

This is your chance to tell the world how Seaton is being treated.

Rain damage continues

After my last post (below) about erosion of the test ziggurat, we had a lot more rain.  Exeter airport was flooded, and it rained quite hard in Seaton also.

Today I had a look at the ziggurat, and it showed even more erosion, as shown below.

I wrote again to the Environment Agency, and this time, also to East Devon District Council, pointing out the serious implications of the situation.  I will report back when I get a reply.

Washing away the infill

Seatonians who can see the site will have noticed a neat, pyramid-shaped heap of rubble (a ziggurat ?) on the Tesco site.  Here is what it looks like.

This is how Tesco is going to build up the land.  They will pile up a lot of gravel, slope the sides (as shown here) and then grow grass over it.

Those of us who have kept an eye on this ziggurat have noticed that the left hand side (behind the two TV aerials) seems to have been washed away to some extent - perhaps by the heavy rain we had recently.

If this is what has happened, it is not a good sign.  The whole development will have sides like this, and one side will be acting as a drain to carry flood water away from Harbour Road.  If this is what a couple of heavy rain storms can do, imagine the erosion of a fast stream of flood water.

I have written to the Environment Agency officer who is supervising this site, but he is away at the moment.  I will let you know what he says.

Tesco in the Daily Mail

It seems to be "Tear into Tesco Time" in various organs of the press.  After the Scottish item (see below) the Mail has weighed in with a wide-ranging critical summary.

Take a look at the on-line version by clicking HERE