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Devon Climate Emergency November Newsletter
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The Environment Agency and Network Rail are undertaking significant work to protect the main rail line through Devon and into Cornwall, particularly the section between Exeter and Dawlish along the Exe Estuary. This area is vulnerable to erosion due to rising sea levels and increased storm activity, both consequences of climate change.
Working together to clean up our waters
| Tel: 01803 861368 | Email: communications@swdevon.gov.uk |
Working together to clean up our waters
21 October 2024
With cleaner waters a hot topic, organisations have been coming together to see how our marine industry can do its bit to tackle air and water pollution across the South Hams.
As part of its promise to protect the environment and boost the local economy, South Hams District Council has been working with local marine businesses, harbour authorities and industry experts to help move away from fossil fuel to electric power on the water.
At an electric propulsion workshop on 18 October at South Devon College Marine Academy, Cllr John Birch, Executive Member for Economic Development said: “We want to see our local marine economy thrive and embrace the future of electric power. It is so important that businesses stay ahead of the curve when it comes to cleaner technologies; this is the future, and we want everyone on the journey with us.”
The workshop also heard from Salcombe Harbour Authority who talked about its plans to electrify the Council’s fleet of vessels, including the trial of an electric water taxi and RIB.
There are many projects the Council is delivering to help to reduce carbon emissions and pollution along the District’s coast.
Following its successful vessel recycling project at Creekside Boatyard in Dartmouth, the Council is now looking to upscale its work in tackling the issue of abandoned boats across the District.
It recently partnered with the Royal Yachting Association’s environmental programme, The Green Blue to seek the marine communities’ views on electric propulsion.
It is also working with The Carbon Trust to create a toolkit that will measure the carbon footprint for all boat users in Salcombe Harbour, as well as its own fleet of vessels.
Cllr John McKay, South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity said: “The only way we can tackle climate change is by working together.
“We want to protect our beautiful waterways here in the South Hams so that future generations can enjoy our coastal areas and rivers for many years to come – these projects will certainly help to do just that.”
Devon Climate Emergency October Newsletter
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South Hams District Council wants to hear from you on cycling
| Tel: 01803 861368 | Email: communications@swdevon.gov.uk |
South Hams District Council wants to hear from you on cycling, wheeling and walking in the area
Issued 18 September 2024
South Hams District Council wants to hear from you about cycling, wheeling and walking opportunities across the District.
The Council is developing a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) as part of its priorities to support communities, help improve community wellbeing and fight against climate change by promoting greener journeys.
An LCWIP looks at cycling and walking in an area and aims to identify what could be done to encourage more people to cycle, walk and 'wheel' (for those using wheelchairs, mobility scooters or other wheeled mobility aids) on journeys locally. This is by identifying improvements on routes that exist already to make them safer or more appealing to people using them.
The Council is launching a consultation from today (18 September) to 11 October on walking, wheeling and cycling in the South Hams and is inviting people to take part and have their say.
Cllr Victor Abbott, Executive Member for Community Services and Operations, said: “With community wellbeing being a priority for the Council, looking into how to improve walking and cycling opportunities in the South Hams makes a lot of sense. We all need time outdoors for our mental health, and being active is great for physical health. The LCWIP will assess both new and existing opportunities for people to travel actively in the areas they live and have more active lives.”
The Council will be holding consultation events at the following venues:
Tuesday 24 September
10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. - Dartmouth Guildhall, Clifton Room
Wednesday 25 September
10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. - Kingsbridge Market Hall
Tuesday 1 October
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Totnes Civic Hall
2 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Ivybridge Watermark Centre, Beeson Suite
To take part in the online consultation, please visit: https://activetravelshwd.commonplace.is/
Devon Climate Emergency September Newsletter
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The future looks bright for vessel recycling
| Tel: 01803 861368 | Email: communications@swdevon.gov.uk |
The future looks bright for vessel recycling
28 August 2024
A clean marine environment remains high on the agenda for South Hams District Council as they now look to expand their work in the recycling of abandoned vessels across South Hams’ waters.
A big part of the Council’s drive to reduce climate change includes looking at marine activities across the District and finding ways to reduce carbon emissions and water pollution.
Boats are being regularly reported as abandoned, sunk or stranded within the Dart, Salcombe-Kingsbridge and Yealm estuaries. This is having an environmental and financial impact on the marine community. Therefore, the Council has identified these end-of-use vessels as an area of ongoing concern within the South Hams.
Back in Spring 2024, the Council worked with Creekside Boatyard in Dartmouth and industry partners to dismantle a sailing boat that had reached the end of its useful life. They then looked at ways to recycle or reuse as many component parts as possible.
The Council has now released the findings from the innovative recycling project, a first of its kind. The pilot successfully demonstrated that a novel piece-by-piece disassembly, recovery, and recycling approach to dealing with end-of-life boats is both achievable and time efficient. Component parts ranged from stainless steel rigging and bronze winches to the boat’s engine and electronics. Almost 1,500 kg of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) composite was also recovered.
Whilst there is currently no commercial recycling solution in the UK for the composite used in boat hulls, the project team were delighted to be able to recover and clean contaminated GRP fibres for the first time from a small section of the boat using an innovative process known as DEECOM®. Going forward, they hope that these fibres can be re-used to create an upcycled product.
Work will now continue as the Council explores future opportunities with partners and local waste management specialists to address the issue on a larger scale.
Cllr John McKay, South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said: “This research is just the first step in our work to address the issue of abandoned vessels across the South Hams.
“We want to work more closely with our industry partners, harbour authorities, marinas and boat builders. They are the ones who feel more closely the financial and environmental impact of end-of-life boats sitting in their waters and getting in the way of their day-to-day work.
“Projects such as these are so important and go a long way in supporting our ambitions to reduce climate change.”
James Scott-Anderson from Marine Environmental Specialists Blue Parameters said: “This project has successfully demonstrated that there is a solution to end-of-life vessels, and that we have options for all kinds of composite waste, and its potential for upcycling.
“It has been a combination of expertise, resources and companies from different sectors- and using new technology, which has made this project successful. We have an alternative to landfill for composite waste which will not only benefit the marine sector, but wider ambitions to tackle climate change.
“It is also essential that we move forward and look at how the knowledge gained from this project can be used in the future, and at a larger scale.”
The project has also had the support from the Royal Yachting Association and its environmental programme The Green Blue.
Read the report and watch the Council's recent video at www.southhams.gov.uk/marine-decarbonisation
Anyone who spots an abandoned boat, can report it at the The Green Blue website.
Locks Hill developer and director convicted of planning breaches
| Tel: 01803 861368 | Email: communications@swdevon.gov.uk |
Locks Hill developer and director convicted of planning breaches
Issued: 20 August 2024
We will come down hard on developers who ignore planning regulations and cause damage in our communities. That’s the message from South Hams District Council after a successful prosecution at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday (19 August).
The Council pursued Blakesley Estates (Kingsbridge) Ltd - now known as Garden Mill Ltd - and its Director, John Freeland through the courts, when in 2021 they continued building without complying with planning permission conditions on the Garden Mill development site, known locally as Locks Hill in Kingsbridge.
Following several court hearings and unsuccessful applications by Garden Mill Ltd and Mr Freeland both pleaded guilty to breaching a temporary stop notice and an enforcement notice issued by the Council. Garden Mill Ltd have been ordered to pay a £100,000 fine and £40,000 costs to the Council. Mr Freeland has been ordered to pay £76,000 in fines and £80,000 in costs to the Council. They have been given 12 months in which to pay.
Councillor Dan Thomas, the Council’s Executive Member for Planning, said: “I am really pleased that this company and its director have been brought to justice.
“We tried to work with them, but they refused to comply. The local community has quite rightly been up in arms about what has happened at the site – we have listened to them and relentlessly taken this through the courts over the past few years. We hope this sends a message loud and clear that we will not tolerate anyone who disregards planning enforcement notices and that we will take action.”
Blakesley Estates bought the land with planning permission for 32 new homes, with a condition. This was that no site clearance, preparatory work or development would take place until a scheme was put in place to protect trees on the site and limit the impact that building work and the development would have on a neighbouring Grade-II listed building.
Despite this, work started at the site without adequate tree protection, so the Council ordered the developer to stop. However, work continued, causing even more damage to the site.
Work finally stopped, leaving the land with a number of houses partially built and the remaining land an unfinished building site.
Blakesley Estates then lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate to restart the work, which was dismissed. Earlier this year, an inspector concluded that the developer had not complied with a planning condition and that planning permission had expired resulting in the land no longer benefitting from planning permission.
The Council continued to pursue the company and its director through the courts and has now won its case.
Councillor Dan Thomas said: “This issue has gone on for years and we have worked tirelessly to bring it to a conclusion. We are facing a housing crisis, and we are really keen for this eyesore to be fixed. We want the local community in Kingsbridge to get the housing development they deserve which respects the local area.”
South Hams District Council has welcomed its new tenants to Holywell Meadow
| Tel: 01803 861368 | Email: communications@swdevon.gov.uk |
South Hams District Council has welcomed its new tenants to Holywell Meadow.
15 August 2024
Creating more lower cost homes for local people is a top priority for South Hams District Council which is why they built their own affordable rental homes to help tackle the District’s housing crisis.
The Council’s new development offers eight social rented 2- and 3-bedroom homes and bungalows on a new site in St Anns Chapel. Three homes will also soon be available to buy on the open market.
With the Council’s focus also on climate change, the homes benefit from state-of-the-art energy saving technology which will also help residents save on their energy bills.
As tenants have recently moved in, you can now hear from tenant Abbie Fish on how she is finding her new home in their recent video.
Volunteering
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