New Houses for Tiverton
By optimist2 | Monday, November 16, 2009, 18:36
Has anyone else heard the rumour (?) that 7,000 new houses are to be built on the greenfield stretching between Uplowman and the small trading estate containing Rainbow and Homebase, behind Blundell's School? There will, I am told, also be school, church, medical, office, retail, and possibly industrial facilities, together with new roads.
It seems to me that if these 7,000 homes are intended for families, that would mean 14,000 adults, and possibly 14,000 children - 28,000 people in all. If each home has only one car, that is a further 7,000 - and these days many families have two cars. So should we think of somewhere in the region of 10,000 more cars using Tiverton's roads?
It is to be hoped that each household would have a breadwinner - 7,000 jobs are needed, hopefully locally since it is unlikely that public transport could support that many rush-hour journeys, and as we all know, we are supposed to be considering the environment and not using our own transport unless critical. Again, both adults - or in some cases two parent adults and two child adults - might well wish to work - worst case would be 28,000ish jobs.
I don't wish to be a scaremonger, but I'm beginning to panic.
If anyone has any reassurance that all the consequences of this development have been considered - no-one could fail to have done this I am sure - would they please, via the medium of this column, let me know?
Comments
If they do, they have to look into building a second secondary school in Tiverton, if not another two. Perhaps one before the development gets underway and maybe another within the development sector. Tiverton is already in desperate need of second high school as each year group is bordering 300 students, each class has a minimum of 28 students in. That's ridiculous and quite frankly disgusting, how is child supposed to get the much needed support of a teacher if 30 other students are vowing for his or hers attention.
Tiverton High has approx. 1500 students, which is almost 500 students over the average of a Devon secondary school. Barnstaple, which only has just over 10,000 people, has two state and two private schools. Tiverton has one of each but arguably there catchment area is larger. Tiverton also caters for the neighouring villages and small towns such as Rackenford & Bickleigh but also as far a field as Cullumpton or Willand.
Then you thinking of adding another 28,000 (this really can't be true, this would rival the population of places such as Paignton!) to the population is outragous.
Before even thinking of expanding the population, a second secondary school needs to be built!
By theOrigin at 01:55 on 23/11/09
ReportYou have good reason to panic if this development is true. Where are these new residents going to find employment? Good question!
The consequences have probably been considered. And then ignored.
I suggest you contact the council with your concerns. Get the facts and have your say- maybe such a development could be stopped early on. Start a campaign. You have brought it to several hundred people's attention just through this site.
Good luck.
By MrDiplomacy at 14:01 on 17/11/09
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