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SEATON TOWN STRATEGY UPDATE

DRAFT DOCUMENT FOR CONSULTATION

Introduction

A “Seaton Town Strategy” was first produced in 2003 with funds from the Countryside Agency under the Parish and Town Plans Grant Scheme. At that time some sixty action points were identified as major issues which affected the town for which Seaton Town Council identified the need to press for action. It is regrettable that since then only around 10% of those points have come to fruition.

This document takes the original Seaton Town Strategy of 2003 and updates it to reflect issues that are still prevalent and also new issues that are important in the town and for which action is needed at many levels (local, regional, national). It forms a consultation document for the town and will be updated according to feedback received during the consultation period. It will then be adopted by Seaton Town Council as its mandate for action and will be a legal document in the context of the Local Development Framework.

THE VISION

That Seaton should become and should remain a town worthy of its designation as a major gateway to the World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

AIMS

To ensure that all residents and visitors have equal access to resources, facilities and services
To ensure that residents and visitors are given the opportunity to improve their quality of life
To facilitate a society free from crime and disorder
To offer a wide range of facilities for visitors and residents
To encourage the provision of an integrated public transport system
To work with others to conserve and improve the natural and built environment
To encourage appropriate development.
To provide effective, efficient and user-friendly services within our remit as a Town Council.
To encourage the provision of medical, health care and healthy living facilities that meets the needs of all age groups.

CRITERIA

First Criterion:
Any new developments must not detract from the natural environment and Seaton’s status as a World Heritage Jurassic Coast major gateway town and should accord with the Seaton Town Design Statement (Appendix 1).
Second Criterion:
Any developments should be innovative and environmentally and socially sustainable.
Third criterion:
Any new developments to be built to at least “Code for Sustainable Homes 6 star rating” Standard.

NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Seaton is a major gateway to the World Heritage Jurassic Coast and all development within the town should reflect this important designation. It is surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has local and national nature reserves within walking distance of the town. The River Axe and its estuary provides spectacular scenery and access to wildlife.

It should be noted that some World Heritage sites are in danger of losing their status due to inappropriate development. It is the aspiration of Seaton Town Council that this should not happen with any town on the World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

Seaton Town Council fights a (mostly) rearguard action against inappropriate development of the town as regional and central government policies often undermine the ability of the town council to enhance the town in major and minor ways. The need to build sustainably and to the highest environmental standards is also often compromised by outside pressures

Problems in Seaton centre around many issues that have not been resolved even though some of them date back to the 1980’s or 1990’s. The remedy for these issues does not lie in the hands of Seaton Town Council and those who do hold the key to beneficial change in Seaton have shown a marked reluctance to put resources into the town.

In the forefront of these issues is currently the need for sensitive and appropriate development of the Seaton Regeneration Area in the face of the pressure on businesses to serve shareholder interests, the poor visitor experience offered by the seafront area, the lack of permanent pedestrianisation of the seafront, the lack of pedestrianisation of the shopping area in shopping hours and lack of attention to the various traffic dangers in the town.

Priorities:

1. The town’s importance as a gateway to the World Heritage Jurassic Coast must be paramount when deciding on the appropriateness of development and the built environment.
2. In respect of proposed new developments, both public and private, we will look for innovative and energy-efficient designs.
3. New residential accommodation should be required meet “Code for Sustainable Homes 6 star standard.
4. We will continue to lobby for permanent pedestrianisation of the seafront between Beach Road and Gap.
5. We will press for the building of affordable homes for local people.
6. We will press for the pedestrianisation of Fore Street and Queen Street from 10.00 hrs to 16.00 hrs seven days a week.
6. We will press for pavements in Fore Street to be changed so that there is no height variation
8. We will press for continuous pavements on Harepath Road and Colyford Road and
9. We will seek the resolution of traffic dangers at the Marlpit Lane/Beer Road junction.
10. We will support construction of a World Heritage Coast Visitor Centre
11. We will press for a moratorium on major new development until infrastructure appropriate to the current needs of the town have been addressed and provided. After that, only developments that include appropriate infrastructure from the beginning to be considered.
12 We will use the Town Design Statement (attachment 1) as our template for development.

RETAIL FACILITIES – TOWN CENTRE AND HARBOUR ROAD

Retail facilities in the town centre are facing unprecedented difficulties. They will probably need to compete with a large major supermarket on the Seaton Regeneration Area. They will also have to cope with the global downturn in economic activity and the loss of the major tourist generator in the town at the end of 2008 – the Lyme Bay Holiday Village.

Priorities:

1. We will encourage the use of independent, local shops and businesses within the town centre area. And the support of their continuance and diversity of shops giving personal service.
2. We will support a business rate “holiday” to stimulate business in the town.
3. We will press for reduced-price parking facilities during the period of development of the Seaton Regeneration Area
4. We will continue to seek, as above, road barriers to pedestrianise the shopping area 10.00 hrs – 16.00 hrs 7 days a week and the encouragement of outdoor activities to stimulate footfall in the area.
5. We will seek ways to transform the present pedestrian access routes from the Underfleet to the town centre into welcoming walkways.
6. We will press for the enforcement of the shopfront policy already agreed.
7. We will seek to provide live/work units within the town.

THE SEAFRONT

The seafront is one of the most neglected areas of Seaton and provides a poor resident and visitor experience. While other coastal towns have had grants and planning gain income to improve their seafronts, Seaton has seen no investment whatsoever in its seafront area. Indeed, attempts to “Mediterranean-ise” the seafront – which are well-supported in the town – have met with nothing but opposition from those who have it in their power to change the situation.

As a result, Seaton is slipping further and further behind its near neighbours Lyme Regis and Sidmouth and, as Seaton is a destination town (visitors having to make a detour from the main A3052 road to visit) its inability to provide a pleasant seafront experience is one of the major causes of its lack of vitality.

Priorities:

1. We will put constant pressure on other agencies which have it within their power to secure grants and planning gain income to look to invest such grants and planning gains in improving the seafront.
2. We will encourage the construction of a jetty and small marine development focusing on fishing, diving and exploring the marine environment with facilities for boat service links along the Jurassic Coast.
3. We will continue to press for provision of toilets at the eastern end of the seafront.
4. We will seek the location of a pedestrian crossing at some point along the seafront beside a sea-wall entrance area.
5. We will continue to press for pedestrianisation and “Mediterranean-isation” of the seafront from Beach Road to Fisherman’s Gap with the elimination of the tarmac “desert” in the area.

A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT

Cleansing services for the town are currently provided by East Devon District Council and are a constant source of complaint due to both lack of frequency and lack of up-to-date equipment. Dog fouling is prevalent with lack of enforcement of by-laws. There are not enough dog waste bins in the town. A new scheme for refuse collection is about to commence and we will monitor this.

Priorities:

1. We will strenuously pursue the continued improvement of cleaning provision in the town, particularly regarding those areas of Seaton where cleaning hours are not sufficient at present.
2. We will monitor areas of high dog-owner use and encourage enforcement of local by-laws in these areas, if necessary creating new areas where by-laws will operate.
3. We will seek more dog wardens and request relevant health promotion publicity.
4. We will press for more dog waste bins.
5. We will monitor the new refuse collection system to see whether this improves the town’s streetscene and will lobby for changes if no improvement is forthcoming.

HOUSING

Seaton has all the same problems that beset every other area of the country – a shortage of affordable housing. Our ability to influence this area is very much constrained by national government policies.

Priorities:

1. We will seek to quantify the need for affordable housing in the town and the type of accommodation required.
2. We will seek discussions with other agencies involved concerning the provision of affordable housing in the town and particularly in the Seaton Regeneration Area.

EMPLOYMENT

The town has never recovered from the loss of jobs when the Racal Engineering factory closed in the 1990’s. Employment opportunities, except for low-paid work in the retail, nursing home and tourism industry are almost non-existent in the town. The major employer in the town (Lyme Bay Holiday Village) is about to close with the loss of 150 permanent jobs. A supermarket in the town may provide some jobs but most of those are likely to be low-paid, part-time or temporary and, on their own figures, will offer employment to no more than 50-100 people on top of the job losses at the holiday village.

An industrial area is planned for the Harepath Road area but many of the units there will be used for those businesses to be displaced from the Riverside Works area.

Priorities:

1. We will support new employment opportunities will be sought to provide a better balance of job opportunities within Seaton.
2. We will support the creation of a Business Development Unit (specialising in clean technologies with state-of-the-art communications).
3. We will support a public transport system which connects Seaton to sites of major employers (airport, Skypark, Science Park) and major towns within 30 miles of Seaton, such system to cater for the needs of shift workers as well as office workers.

HEALTHCARE, POLICING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

There is a woeful lack of community provision in Seaton. The town has no indoor or outdoor public leisure facilities, no arts facility, no youth centre. It is soon to lose its only swimming pool and gym (at the Lyme Bay Holiday Village due for closure in January 2009).

Lack of youth facilities has led to an increase in disaffected young people with nothing to do and nowhere to go who make inordinate demands on police time and resources.

Should there be a further 500 homes on the Seaton Regeneration Area, the town’s population will increase by some 20% with no planned increase in health, community or social infrastructure.

Priorities:

1. We will bring to the attention of the Primary Care Trust our concerns about the future health care needs of Seaton and engage with them in a dialogue to enable them to reflect the needs of the community.
2. We will propose to the Primary Care Trust the advantages of providing a minor accident/walk-in centre at Seaton Hospital during the summer months (perhaps using practitioner nurses) to lessen the pressure on local General Practices.
3. We will consult with the Primary Care Trust regarding provision for mental health and learning disabilities.
4. We will bring residents’ specific concerns before the Police Authority.
5. We will seek to persuade the Primary Care Trust for more to provide more visits of mobile health units (e.g. breast screening) to the town

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

An integrated transport service for Seaton is a matter of urgency if people in the town are to enjoy facilities outside it and be able to work in centres of employment within the need to use cars.

The X53 bus route from Dorset to Exeter has provided Seaton with a valuable service both for residents and tourists. However, the town still has the problem that there is no bus service which provides for the needs of shift workers outside the Seaton area nor for those who wish to visit Exeter or the surrounding area in the evenings.

Buses to Honiton and Taunton are limited to two per day and do not allow for anything other than a short amount of time in those towns. They are not suitable for those who have to find work outside Seaton and who may work anti-social hours or those who need to attend hospital appointments or to visit people in hospital in Axminster or Honiton.

With the new employment opportunities at Exeter Airport, its Skypark, the new Science Park and, possibly at Cranbrook, there is currently no public transport service which would enable residents in Seaton to take up opportunities for work there unless they travel by car.

Buses from Seaton to Axminster link to some rail services but not to others and again do not run in the evenings.

New opportunities for people to cycle for tourism and health needs and to places of employment need to be created.

Dial-a-Ride and TRIP perform a valuable service to the community and should be supported.

Priorities:

1. We will seek an integrated transport service which links the town with rail termini, employment areas, hospitals and with entertainment venues. This service to include the needs of shift workers and to take in new employment areas such as Exeter Airport, Skypark, the Science Park and (possibly) Cranbrook.
2. We will press for existing links to Honiton, Axminster and Taunton to be improved and take account of the need to access entertainment areas and employment opportunities, including shift workers.
3. We will support the creation of the Taunton Stop Line National cycle route and other cycle routes in the area and beyond which link in with integrated transport.
4. We shall continue to support Dial-a-Ride and TRIP schemes for elderly and disabled people who cannot access other forms of transport.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Environmental issues are considered to be of extremely high priority in Seaton by Seaton Town Council and by residents in general. In particular, there is great concern as to the environmental considerations that must be taken into account when developing the Seaton Regeneration Area. Seaton Town Council supports the Town Design Statement in all its recommendations for both the Regeneration Area and the remainder of the town. Seaton Town Council will fight inappropriate and unsustainable planning applications.

A major concern is preparing for climate change, particularly as it affects coastal communities, and adapting homes and behaviour reduce energy consumption.

Priorities:

1. We will strenuously resist inappropriate and unsustainable planning applications and redevedelopments, particularly within the Seaton Regeneration Area.
2. We support the Seaton Town Design Statement (Appendix 1)
3. We will support all efforts to protect the town from the effects of climate change including appropriate sea and river defences.
4. We will support initiatives within and outside the town to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and to reduce energy consumption.
5. We will strive to preserve and, where possible, extend the existing green areas in Seaton.
6. We will strive to protect, preserve and where possible extend, public open space in Seaton, including allotments

CIVIC PRIDE

Civic pride is something which has been noticeably lacking in Seaton in recent years as a result of the woeful lack of public and private investment in the town. The loss of the main employer and main tourist accommodation in the town (Lyme Bay Holiday Village) has added to this problem. Much of the ability to increase civic pride rests with other authorities whose priorities leave Seaton deprived of appropriate funds and services.

Priorities:

We will support and actively promote activities and projects which increase civic pride;
We will support efforts to improve the floral displays throughout the year and continue to investigate future sources of funding for the enhancement of Cliff Field Gardens
We will encourage volunteers to take an active part in improving the presentation of the town.

RECYCLING

East Devon District Council has had one of the worst recycling rates in England. It has recently introduced a new scheme which is meant to increase the amount of recycling in the district but it remains to be seen whether this will make a noticeable difference.

The Recycling Centre (operated by Devon County Council) is open only on Saturdays between 10 am and 4 pm (at other times it is a site used by other businesses and inaccessible to residents). There are no specialist recycling facilities there for cardboard.

Priorities:

1. We will put pressure on Devon County Council (or its replacement unitary authority) to provide a purpose-built, up-to-date recycling facility in Seaton similar to or better than that at Tipton St. John.
2. We will investigate the possibility of a site for community composting.

TOURISM

Seaton was dealt a body blow in 2008 when its main provider of overnight tourist accommodation and its main employer (Lyme Bay Holiday Village) was sold by Hollybush Hotels to Tesco Ltd and plans made for the demolition of the accommodation in January 2009, with the loss of a day nursery, gym, fun pool and overnight accommodation for more than 400 people (which operated at approximately 80% capacity year round).

There are plans for a Jurassic Coast Interpretation Centre but this will not be commissioned before the holiday village closes. Estimates of visitor numbers for this Centre have fallen from the 230,000 anticipated by Locum consultants some years ago to approximately 70,000. There are, to date, no known plans by Tesco to replace any of the lost facilities on the site except the day nursery which may move to a new location if planning permission is sought by Tesco and granted by East Devon District Council before January 2009.

The Taunton Stop Line national cycle route is planned to terminate in Seaton but, again, this will not be in place for some time, if ever.

This leaves Seaton with almost no overnight facilities for tourists except for local bed and breakfast businesses and one small hotel (10 beds) and with a seafront which requires urgent updating if it is to attract discerning tourists .

Priorities:

1. We will press for overnight tourism facilities to replace those lost by closure of the Lyme Bay Holiday Village to incoude hostel, hotel and eco-tourism opportunities..
2. We will support the construction of a Jurassic Coast Interpretation Centre
3. We will lobby for publically-available sports and swimming facilities in the town
4. We will support a cycle terminus for the Taunton Stop Line national cycle route with appropriate facilties.
5. We will continue to lobby for pedestrianisation and enhancement of the seafront.

RECREATION, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Public recreation facilities are almost non-existent in Seaton and this – along with youth provision – always comes at the top of the agenda when residents are asked what are the major problems of the town. The Youth and Community Centre closed in 2006 and has not been replaced.

There is a pitch and put green and two tennis courts at Seafield Gardens, run by Devon Leisure on behalf of East Devon District Council but other than that there are no indoor sports facilities and a woeful lack of outdoor facilities (for example, the football club has 18 teams and one pitch – some teams play away at all games).

Other than the Town Hall, Seaton has no public building suitable for use by the community whatsoever. Entertainment facilities are linked to church halls or rooms in public houses or to the Town Hall when or if it is available, which is not fit for purpose. Charges for the Town Hall are now so high that many users have stopped having functions there, some having moved to church halls or pubs others having closed. Top of the list when people in Seaton were consulted about what they wanted were: community facilities, youth facilities, sports facilities and a cinema.

Once the gym and pool at the holiday village are closed in January 2009 there will be no facilities for the promotion of health and wellbeing in Seaton.

We have a thriving Youth Council in Seaton.

Priorities:

1. We will press for a purpose-built indoor sports and leisure centre, including a swimming pool and gym.
2. We will press for a purpose-built outdoor sports facility.
3. We will press for a purpose-built youth centre with dedicated, qualified youth workers.
4. We will press for a purpose-built community centre.
5. We will press for a cinema.
6. We will assist the Football Club in finding a permanent location for EXTRA pitches and press for future provision of indoor training facilities in Seaton for various outdoor sports.
7. We will press for play, recreation and sports facilities on the Seaton Regeneration area and in other parts of Seaton.
8. We will press for an upgraded and extended skateboard park.
9. We will encourage the work of the Seaton Youth Council.

EDUCATION

Pre-School

Currently there is a pre-school facilities within the grounds of Seaton Primary School (Rupert’s) and a day nursery which is about to close at Lyme Bay Holiday Village (Nippers). It is hoped that Tesco will build a new facility for Nippers close to Seaton Primary School in the near future, but no planning application has been put in to date.

Primary

The town has one primary school (Seaton Primary) with limited space for extension of either classrooms or outside space. Should the town expand, there will be a requirement for another primary school.

Secondary education

Currently children of secondary school age have to travel outside the Seaton area for the secondary education. There are no plans by Devon County Council to change this situation.

Further/adult education

The town has the use of the St. Clare’s Adult Education Centre but courses at this centre have been curtailed so that they are mainly targeted at those not in education or training (NEETs). This has left other groups in the community (retired people, those who want to extend or improve their qualifications, people with disabilities) with limited or no opportunity to pursue lifelong learning opportunities.

Priorities:

1. We will strongly support improvements to teaching environments and particularly the improvement of access for disabled students and others excluded from lifelong learning opportunities.
2. We will press for the seamless relocation of Nippers Day Nursery to a site close to Seaton Primary School.
3. We will press for any significant increase in Seaton’s child population to be met with appropriate educational provision for the extra pupils.

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