Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition (Published on Wednesday 12th October 2022) below:
Housing
Torbay Council has published its latest consultation document on where it proposes building new homes in our bay.
Herald Express readers may recall the first version of this consultation produced by Torbay Council earlier this year, which included sites like Paignton Rugby Club’s Ground which were never in serious contention. As I predicted at the time, a revised plan has now been produced which excludes many of the sites which had little or no prospect of being included in a serious plan for housing in our bay.
It is not an uncommon tactic to produce a first draft of something which includes lots of controversy, blame someone else (predictably the Government in this case), then try to claim sites have been “saved” later when unlikely proposals abandoned, but the more serious proposals retained. Similarly, the headlines about Westminster wanting more, rather conflicts with this claim being based on their calculations of a formula which the new government is scrapping.
The latest consultation document published by Torbay Council is much closer to a likely plan for development, with some sites already under construction, such as the former Dairy Site in Upton, and many brownfield sites listed, alongside some greenfield locations.
There is an urgent need for more affordable homes in our bay and regenerating our Town Centres must play its role in this. Given this, some of the brownfield sites listed by the Council seem to have surprisingly low numbers of new homes assigned to them.
Creating Investment Zones in Paignton and Torquay Town Centres would help drive creating the new affordable homes we need at the heart of them, as few will object to derelict Town Centre sites being used to create new family homes, providing a leisure or retail frontage is retained on the ground floor in key locations.
Sir David Remembered
Exactly a year to the day since he had hosted the same event last year, an Animal Welfare Reception was held at the Conservative Conference to remember Sir David Amess. He was murdered shortly after last year’s conference whilst holding an advice surgery.
Sir David had been a constant source of friendship and support to those of us elected in 2015 who are part of the “Blue Fox” group of MPs who support the ban on fox hunting and blocked an attempt to weaken it 7 years ago.
He had been in Parliament for nearly 40 years and throughout his time campaigned on animal welfare issues, including the event exactly a year before. He is sorely missed, but his legacy of delivering positive and progressive changes to animal welfare legislation lives on.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries are on: Saturday 15th October 11am till 1pm at Preston Baptist Church, 62 Old Torquay Rd, Paignton TQ3 2RB and Friday 21st October 10am till 12Noon at Torquay Library, Lymington Road, Torquay TQ1 3DT.
For an appointment you can either email me at [email protected] or leave a message on 01803 214989, surgeries are for personal queries from residents they would like me to help them with, rather than a wider policy debate. There are also drop-in sessions at my office 5-7 East St, Torquay, TQ2 5SD between 10am & 1pm Monday to Friday where a member of my team will be available to help with any queries.
