Information on public speaking is available online
Minutes:
Three members of the public commented on item 36 – Delivery of the Axminster Urban Extension as follows:
Mrs Bernie Steadman speaking as a resident of Axminster and on behalf of other residents said that it would be unacceptable to go ahead with the development of some of the sections without the relief road. She questioned how 200 houses could be built in a space originally recommended for 70 and questioned how many of the houses would be affordable. 200 houses would lead to more vehicles using the B3261 road which the relief road was supposed to relieve and highlighted the difficulty of vehicles turning right at the junction would lead to more vehicles travelling through the town and questioned how this would relieve congestion. Mrs Steadman said the infrastructure in the town centre was barely coping and the failure of the masterplan must be addressed before the agreement to build new houses was made. Mrs Steadman said residents did not want poorly planned unsustainable developments in Axminster and said too many houses in too small spaces would equal problems not solutions.
Mrs Hilary Kirkcaldie speaking on behalf of Axminster Town Council supported the proposal as set out in the Local Plan with the relief road preferably being delivered ahead of housing and addressed the need for more affordable housing to maintain the viability of local services. She said it was a long term view of the Town Council to widen the service road through the housing area to act as a relief road to take traffic away from Stoney Lane which is the access road to the Primary and Secondary Schools to improve road safety. She also raised concerns that there was only one road out of Axminster to the north and if an accident were to happen would cause serious gridlock. Mrs Kirkcaldie said Axminster Town Council were aware of the problems with Weycroft Bridge and the Raymonds Hill A35 junction and said these were not reasons to reject a relief road. Mrs Kirkcaldie said the Town Council remained adamant that adequate land must be allocated for employment and if the development was not undertaken as set out in the Local Plan a severe disservice would be done to future generations of Axminster residents.
Mr Paul Hayward speaking on behalf of the joint Parish Councils of Chardstock and All Saints in his capacity as Parish Clerk reiterated the parish councils’ earlier vehement opposition to the masterplan on 29 January 2019 which lacked merit, vision and ambition. The Parish Councils’ said the masterplan failed to address Weycroft Bridge which divided Axminster from the northern parts of East Devon and raised concerns that if the bridge failed Axminster would be cut off. The masterplan failed to address that the residents of Chardstock, All Saints, Hawkchurch and Membury were wholly reliant on the services in Axminster and together with the strained infrastructure would be unable to cope with the rising population. The joint councils also wished to express their frustration and anger that their elected Ward Member had been excluded from discussions.