Walled Garden planning meeting
Minutes of the planning meeting for the Walled Garden now available.
Teignmouth Planning Steering Committee
The Teignmouth Planning Steering Committee met for the first time last Thursday evening at Bitton House, Teignmouth.
About twenty of us representing various groups in the town – councillors, Residents Association, Community College, Youth Services, medical services, and so on – listened to Tristan Peat, Principal Planning Officer – Planning Policy, Spatial Planning and Delivery, Teignbridge District Council – outlining and answering questions on TDC’s planning strategy. Tristan explained that this latest strategy is due to the Localism Bill currently passing through Parliament. This Bill is intended to devolve decision making power down to neighbourhoods but does not, apparently, give any guidance on how this should be done. TDC, along with every other Planning Authority, I expect, are learning as they go.
Tristan presented a draft copy of ‘Your Teignmouth (summary report)’ dated December 2010 for discussion and feedback. I have asked Tristan for an electronic copy and in the meantime I have a paper one if anyone wants to read it shortly. The meeting agreed that comments should be returned by Friday 8th April.
Several people observed that they have been consulted on more than one occasion already but there had been no response by TDC, and Tristan acknowleged this. There were also suggestions to involve the whole demographic in Teignmouth and keep the local, free paper well briefed.
A couple of the more experienced councillors cautioned that although the funding sources include the Community Infrastructure Levy from Developers and the New Homes Bonus from the Government, unless Developers can build and sell at a profit, no money will be forthcoming for any infrastructure projects. And, of course, the more affordable homes Developers have to provide, the less profit they make; plus Teignmouth has not got a great deal of land to develop anyway.
Having said all that Tristan also spoke with enthusiasm about the Transition concept, and mentioned local resiliance, and peak oil to the meeting, so it was great that we could be represented there to support him.
The next steps are:
- Comments on the ‘Your Teignmouth’ report returned to TDC by the 8th April. I shall circulate the report as soon as I can.
- A Steering Group to develop a workshop style planning meeting for a wider, although still by invitation only, group of community interests in Teignmouth. Date to be arranged; it will probably be an early evening weekday.
This is all very relevant to ideas of Transition, but sadly, I cannot give as much time to it as it deserves. If there is anyone who has a particular interest in this area and who would like to take this on, or perhaps take part in a sub-group of Teign Estuary Transition, please get in touch.
Mike Rickard
Saturday 26th March: social event celebrating Earth Hour
Members of Teign Estuary Transition Group are invited to a social evening on Saturday 26th March, at the Oystercatcher’s Cafe in Teignmouth, from 7.30 for 8pm.
Please bring some food to share; drinks will be on sale from the bar. There’s no charge to attend.
We’ve chosen this date to coincide with Earth Hour so we’ll be eating by candle-light. People across the world will turn off lights for one hour and join in this celebration of our planet.
Please help put Teignmouth on the Earth Hour map – turn off some lights and do something more interesting instead, for one hour, Earth Hour, 8.30-9.30 pm, Saturday 26 March. ‘Comment’ your ideas here.
The Walled Garden at Eastcliff Park
Teign Estuary Transition and Friends of Eastcliff have begun a new phase of work in the Walled Garden in Eastcliff Park. Thanks to the efforts of members and also the Community Payback teams, a great deal of clearing has been done. It is now possible to see all the fruit trees which have been freed from the brambles which had them in their grip; we look forward to finding out what fruit we have got as the season progresses!
At a Friends of Eastcliff workday – the first of the season – much of the cleared vegetation was stacked and burned to get rid of the bramble roots and other invasive plants. More ivy was carefully cut away from the walls and litter was cleared from the garden and also from around the outside walls. By the end of the morning a lovely south facing wall had been cleared and some stubborn tree trunks removed from self seeded cherry and elm in the vegetable and herb part of the garden.
On the following Sunday morning at a TET workday the work was continued and a bed at the foot of the south facing wall made ready for planting; we would welcome ideas on what to put in here. There are also several other beds in this area approaching readiness for planting. Sunday 13th March was warm and sunny in the garden and it was great to have some children working with us and some good natured dogs along for the fun. Once again it was a very productive day with further preparation on the beds and the first preparations to make space for some serious composting! We hope to have HogCO www.hogco-devonrcc.org.uk over to help us with this when we are ready so anyone interested in composting should watch this space for information.
SUNDAY MORNINGS IN THE WALLED GARDEN
If you are interested in joining us, we will be there from 11am – 1pm every Sunday morning in March (and probably beyond). Bring your own gloves and some tools if you have them (we will have some extra tools but not gloves). We are following the philosophy of permaculture and so the only tools we will be using on the soil are forks and trowels and so please regard the area as a no dig/no spade area. Please bring drinks(especially water if it is hot).
DAMAGE TO THE GARDEN
There has been a history of vandalism in the Walled Garden which is possibly made easier by its seclusion. Recently some daffodils were cut down and a pile of sticks cut for using as supports were thrown around the garden. This will happen from time to time. We hope that by persisting with our work we will win out against this kind of damage and even involve some of the perpetrators in our work – and play.
If you are out walking in Eastcliff Park, please call into the Walled Garden as often as possible. Let us show that we are going to be visiting and enjoying as well as working there and that this is a place for creative work, companionship and fun. We look forward to seeing you there.
Earth Hour 2011, Saturday 26 March
We have signed up to Earth Hour 2011 and are encouraging people to join us. Please help put Teignmouth on the Earth Hour map – turn off some lights and do something more interesting instead, for one hour, Earth Hour, 8.30pm, Saturday 26 March.
Earth Hour is an international event which offers us each a chance to get involved and help lead the way towards a sustainable future. People across the world will turn off lights and join in this celebration of our planet – in previous years landmarks including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Toronto’s CN Tower, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, and Rome’s Colosseum have all stood in darkness as symbols of hope.
For more details about Earth Hour, and to register that you intend to join in, see: http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/about_earth_hour/aboutearthhour/
Restoring Eastcliff Park’s walled garden: Wednesday 2nd March
Please help us to restore Teignmouth’s heritage walled garden in Eastcliff Park. We are meeting on Wednesday 2nd March to clear some ivy, working with Sian Avon, Teignbridge District Council’s Senior Countryside Ranger.
Times are 10 till 2, with gloves and large tools provided, but bring your own secateurs.
For further details call Mike on 07877 797271, or email info@teigntransition.org.uk.
Please help us advertise the event by downloading and displaying the attached poster.
Teign Estuary Transition 