6 days ago
Residents living in clifftop homes fear being unable to sell up as council plots a ban on renovations
Residents living in clifftop homes fear they will never be able to sell up if new council plans ban them from doing even 'minor' building work on their houses.
Locals on Cliff Road said new rules could mean they cannot carry out even basic renovations to their properties because of their location.
The row of houses in Sidmouth in Devon is on top of famous cliffs - with several losing large chunks of gardens to the sea over the years due to coastal erosion.
But residents are terrified they won't even be able to make 'minor amendments' or extensions soon as part of a local plan.
Officials are considering a new coastal change management area (CCMA) for parts of Sidmouth.
It is part of a twenty year East Devon scheme which would aim to limit development in areas at significant risk of coastal erosion.
The CCMA could mean proposals for new residential development, including the conversion of existing buildings, would not be permitted.
Residents fear it could limit their ability to develop their homes, build extensions, or even undertake 'minor' alterations.
One resident said if the plan is 'far ranging' it will make 'houses deteriorate' and 'could impact people selling them'.
They said: 'If those plans were to go ahead it will limit what I will do to the property subject to planning.
'The way that the local plan is drafted is that it would prohibit anything like extensions, work inside our homes, any knock down of properties and rebuild.
'If the plan is far ranging and people aren't even allowed to do minor amendments the properties could deteriorate in terms of their condition and it could impact people selling.
'We have got the South West Cost Path that is part of Cliff Road so we get hundreds and thousands of people walking the path every year.'
They added: 'If the properties are not allowed to be sufficiently maintained or improved with work then this area can become quite downtrodden and what we don't want is that the lack of visitors to Sidmouth to then impact local businesses.'
Paul Griew, leader of Cliff Road Action Group, lost an entire summerhouse in 2017 when it tumbled into the sea.
He has lived on Cliff Road for 27 years and said his house is located 40 metres back from the erosion.
He said there were 15 houses in the proposed CCMA which he said East Devon Council believe 'are at risk of being eroded in the next 100 years'.
'There was no indication of how they had arrived to just those 15 houses,' Mr Griew said.
'EDDC are now saying that these houses can't do any building works or alterations to the houses and you certainly can't knock down your house and put up a new one.'
There are also concerns from locals that the policy does not account for the forthcoming £21million beach management scheme, which is expected to reduce erosion risk.
Mr Griew also said the beach management plan, once completed in 2027, should mean the CCMA is no longer needed at that point.
Peter Sinton, 82, lives 60 metres away from the cliff with his wife. He said the proposals to prevent any building work on local's homes is a 'bureaucratic manoeuvre' and is going to 'put a complete blight' on the value of the properties.
He said: 'The argument is that people should be able to do anything within reason at their own risk.
'I don't see why a council should have the power to stop someone spending their money if they want to.
'We have completed the extension we needed when we bought our house three years ago, but if I was moving here now and if they had instituted this CCMA why should a council be able to say ''you mustn't spend money your money on it because the house may be in the see in 20 years time'' - in 20 years time I'll be very lucky if I am still here.
'I think it is a bureaucratic manoeuvre that doesn't serve any purpose because the data on which it was based as it whether or not this would erode is completely flawed.'
Mr Sinton added: 'In allowing erosion here there is no benefit to birds, bats, badgers, or even fossils.
'The result will be years of derelict buildings spoiling the view from the promenade and occupying the council in endless legal battles with affected homeowners.'
One local added: 'The concern is if we want to do some projects - like putting in a patio or doing an extension, will that be a problem?
'The sort of thing people normally just get on with and do to improve their homes - it might mean is a problem for us.'
Ed Freeman, assistant director for planning strategy and development management at East Devon District Council, said he had made a note of the comments, and would see what he could do to address the concerns and make more information available.
The strategic planning committee agreed that a report would be brought back to its next meeting in September with a review of the CCMA policy.
Mr Griew suggested residents should be allowed to extend their existing homes at their own risk and subject to planning permission being granted.
