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Ilfracombe Arts College Feedback Report Event held on: 25.01.10 This report sets out the views that were expressed at the ‘Your Future Exmoor’ event for your college and is also available to view on our website. www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/your_future_exmoor.htm If you have any views on this report please let us know by filling in the comments sheet at the end of the report and sending it to: Policy and Community Team Exmoor National Park Authority Exmoor House Dulverton Somerset TA22 9HL Or email your comments to: [email protected] BY FRIDAY 23rd JULY At the end of this report there is also a form where, if you wish, you can provide your contact details to be notified of future consultations as the plan progresses, including Topic Group discussions. Your Future Exmoor Event Feedback Report Introduction The Ilfracombe College, ‘Your Future Exmoor’ Event was held on the 25th January 2010 at Ilfracombe Arts College in Ilfracombe. The event was organised by the Exmoor National Park Authority as part of the preparation of the Exmoor National Park Local Development Framework which is replacing the Local Plan. The event provided the opportunity for college students to have a say in the planning of their community and the National Park as a whole. We would like to acknowledge the valuable input from students and we appreciate the representations that were made by those who attended the event. This report summarises what was said at the event. We would like you (whether you attended the event or not) to let us know your views on the issues, options and comments contained in this feedback report. Attendance The event was attended by 10 people who go to Ilfracombe Arts College. The students were aged between 16-18 years old and came from the surrounding towns and villages including Ilfracombe, Kentisbury, West Down, Berrynabor and Combe Martin. Your Future Exmoor Consultation A presentation was given to introduce the workshop to the students. The students were then split into groups to decide what they thought the most important topics were in Exmoor. Depending on which topics they prioritised they were then given worksheets to discuss the issues within their chosen topics. 3 What You Said Overall Response Topics listed in order of importance to Ilfracombe College students: 1. Natural Environment. 2. Climate Change and Natural Resources. 3. Economy and Employment. 4. Settlements. 5. Cultural Environment. 6. Transport and Infrastructure. 7. Housing. KEY FINDINGS The key findings for the chosen two top topics discussed are set out below. Natural Environment People were happy to see more wind turbines. There was agreement with Exmoor National Park Authority’s current approach to protect, improve and increase existing wildlife sites; and to avoid harm to wildlife habitats. Support was shown for the current approach to only allow for development in existing settlements on the coast. Climate Change & Natural Resources People agreed with the following: o encouraging the use of sustainable construction methods for new buildings and existing buildings; o ensuring development is close to existing services; o maximising the potential for ‘carbon sinks’; o requiring an audit/ evaluation for new development; o ensuring renewable technologies and additional infrastructure does not harm the National Park; o encouraging the use of sustainable drainage systems; o improving the understanding of the likely effects of climate change on Exmoor’s coast; and o re-using existing buildings to reduce the need for new materials. The most popular renewable technology energies were community-scale wind turbines and farm-scale anaerobic digesters. Preparing a New Plan for Exmoor SCOPING ISSUES & OPTIONS (DEC 2008 – JAN 2009) YOUTH CONSULTATION AUTUMN 2009 21 COMMUNITY PARKLIFE ISSUES & EVENTS RESIDENTS (JAN – MAR 2010) QUESTIONNAIRE OPTIONS STAKEHOLDER NOV 2009 EVENT (MAY 2010) ONGOING TOPIC GROUP VISITOR CONSULTATION QUESTIONNAIRE 2009 - 2010 DISCUSSIONS (AUTUMN 2010) 2009 - 2010 NATIONAL PARK MANAGEMENT NATIONAL PLAN REGIONAL & LOCAL DRAFT SUSTAINABLE PLAN COMMUNITY Plans, policies STRATEGIES and programmes CONSULTATION SUSTAINABILITY 2011 APPRAISAL RESPONSES PUBLISH TO THE REVISED FORMAL PLAN CONSULTATION CONSULTATION 2012 5 EXAMINATION AND ADOPTION OF THE PLAN - 2013 6 WHATS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE A series of three workshops with representatives of stakeholder organisations were held during December 2008 and January 2009 at Lynton, Dunster and Dulverton. These events aimed to scope the range of issues facing the National Park in terms of land use and development and find options to address them. The outcomes helped to develop the issues, options and questions which were displayed at the Your Future Exmoor events. Following the Your Future Exmoor events there was a similar event for stakeholder organisations in May 2010 which provided them with an opportunity to respond to the issues and options. WHAT NEXT? A number of topic group discussions will be held during the autumn to explore some particular issues in further detail. We will be inviting representatives of stakeholder organisations and interested members of the public to attend these discussions. All the information provided through the community and stakeholder events, youth consultations, and questionnaires will help us to produce a draft plan and we will be consulting widely on this document next year. We will continue to invite views from local communities which will help us to progress the plan and shape the future of the National Park. The plan will set out the broad, over-arching policies for development and land use within the National Park – combined with some more detailed development management policies. The consultation responses will then inform a revised plan which will be formally consulted on before publication. The plan will then be examined by an independent Inspector, and if it is found to be sound, it can then be formally adopted by the Authority. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT What do we want to achieve? Ensure that the landscape and wildlife is conserved and enhanced to meet National Park purposes and recognise the value of the environment to Exmoor’s communities Promote the National Park as a place that continues to offer a sense of tranquillity ISSUE 1: How to manage the impact of “man-made” structures on the Exmoor landscape? Questions Happy to see Man-made structures About right Too many more Main roads, car parks, road signs and infrastructure 9 0 1 Electricity pylons/poles 7 3 0 Overhead wires 7 3 0 Mobile phone masts 3 0 5 Static caravan sites 0 3 7 Touring caravan sites 2 5 3 Wind turbines 0 0 10 Your suggestions…. Like to see more public transport. Alternative means of electricity, infrastructure/ telecommunications. Static V touring caravanning- existing tourist infrastructure other than replacing or building more. Hydroelectric power. Dam Watersmeet? Pylons underground. Prison. To protect the landscape, current policy allows new small campsites for tents and the conversion of traditional buildings to camping barns. New static or touring caravan sites are not permitted. Do you have any comments on this approach? Expand existing caravan sites. Traditional buildings should NOT be converted to camping barns. National Park is to protect old buildings (hypercritical). Caravan sites should be permitted but carefully planned and managed. Build pylons underground. Underground prison/young offenders camp. 8 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ISSUE 2: How to keep Exmoor wild, tranquil and remote and protect its ‘dark sky’ 9 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Currently we control the design and amount of external lighting in new developments to minimise light pollution. Are there any other ways to control light or noise pollution on Exmoor? Light bulbs which are not very bright. New developments have to have restrictions e.g. noise proof walls etc (1 x agree). Black out curtains (2 x agree). Community decibel (d) level restrictions. Street lighting management including looking at times of use, number of street lights and their brightness. More with the times. ISSUE 3: How to conserve Exmoor’s important wildlife and allow it to adapt to climate change? Are there any wildlife/habitats that you think need more protection? River environments – protection of river beds for snipes. Coastal environments – saltmarshes, mudflats, wildlife. Managed retreat could effect marine habitats. Exmoor ponies (endangered only 2000 in the world) they need protecting. The environment/food source needs protecting. Stop ponies getting run over somehow (pony bridges? Pony bus? Lollypop ladies for ponies?) or speed bumps. Please indicate Please indicate OPTIONS: the option(s) you the option(s) you Comments agree with disagree with a) As now, protect, Development in anyway improve and increase 10 0 that’s not harming the existing wildlife sites environment. b) Extend and link Help the people of the existing wildlife areas local community. specifically to enable Is it good to encourage wildlife to adapt to 5 5 tourism? climate change (advantages/disadvanta ges to this?) c) As now, avoid harm Animals move with the to wildlife habitats or if times. the importance of the development overrides the harm, ensure it is 10 0 minimised and compensation is provided 10 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ISSUE 4: How to conserve the unspoilt character of Exmoor’s coast? Please indicate Please indicate OPTIONS: the option(s) you the option(s) you Comments agree with disagree with As now, on the In or around for the coast, only allow for benefit of the actual place development in e.g. small wind farm existing settlements outside settlement or (apart from some 10 0 wave energy near the essential agricultural coast (coastal protection). and forestry development in Agree with renewable the open countryside) energy on the coast but Resist harmful not cabling. development on the No point making any coast needed by more- settlements structures out at sea expand. e.g. electricity 5 5 Sub stations out of view. cabling/substations from marine renewable energy schemes What other aspects of the coast should be protected? Protected from erosion, land therefore habitats etc Minimise sea erosion/ cliff erosion.