Agenda item

To receive any questions relating to items on the Agenda from members of the public and replies thereto.

Giles Fawssett

Crediton High Street used to have some trees.

The Crediton masterplan had trees on the High Street, particularly shown in the CGI illustrations on page 45, 46 and sees planting new trees and urban greens as an opportunity.

Crediton Town Council supports planting trees on the High Street and personally I campaigned on doing just this.

The organisation “Trees For Streets” offers support and advice for getting trees planted in the winter following an application.

The Woodland Trust offers to pay for trees in Urban areas.

Question 1

Does the Cabinet of Mid Devon District Council fully support applications for planting trees in our High Street as soon as possible and would it support Crediton Town Council in getting Devon County Council to mark the spots for trees, subject to fitting these locations with this masterplan for our lovely town.

Response from Cabinet Member for Planning, Economic and Regeneration:

Just over a year ago the Liberal Democrats campaigned to work with Parish & Town Councils, this also included democratic accountability by bringing decision making closer to communities.  This evening was a first for Mid Devon District Council Cabinet meeting held in Crediton together with audio visual support to enable people to join online.

To confirm that Cabinet do support schemes which seek to incorporate tree planting. As you acknowledged; for Crediton High Street, it would be important that Devon County Council take an active lead in this regard given the complex interface between the public highways and utilities. In the meantime, I would comment that the Masterplan also identified other, non-highways areas for planting which we would also be keen to see delivered in the near-term.

Liz Brookes- Hocking

Can the Town Council be confident that the entirety of the Neighbourhood plan, including its associated documents, specifically the Crediton Traffic and Urban Realm Study, would stand alongside the Crediton Masterplan SPD and not be negated by it?  I am asking this because of paragraphs 6.3 and 6.4 in the Officer’s report to Cabinet under Item 5, which mentions the impossibility of providing trees and crossing places without reducing parking.  This was not the conclusion of the Traffic and Urban Realm Study and I am concerned that it was going to be ignored in favour of the Masterplan.

I have said all along that the Masterplan and the Traffic Study conflict in certain respects as the first had an economic brief and the second had a traffic brief.  Some assumptions are made in the Masterplan which are not necessarily correct.  I appreciate that the traffic study was particularly cited on page 43 of the Masterplan, but the Masterplan’s proposals conflict to some extent with the Traffic Study’s approach which was to keep traffic flowing but at a slower speed. 

It would be good to know that all made and adopted plans would stand alongside each other so can we be assured of this? 

As an extension to this question, once the Masterplan would be adopted, would there be further opportunities for the Town Council to engage with Mid Devon District Council as proposal are drawn up into delivery as there are several ideas that don’t take into account particular local circumstances that you may not be aware of and there are still some missed opportunities?

Response from Cabinet Member for Planning, Economic and Regeneration:

A written response would be provided.