Stuart Watts, chair of Bigbury Parish Council, writes:
I was disturbed to read a letter from a B J Field, of Clacton, Essex, in the paper of November 8, re: 'Locals should be given priority' about affordable housing in Bigbury.
The correspondent has been misinformed as the letter contains factual inaccuracies which cast doubt on the democratic process that Bigbury Parish Council has followed scrupulously.
Specifically, the letter states:-
1. 'A couple of years ago, funding was received for 15 houses to be built in Bigbury parish' - untrue; no funding had been received. A pre-planning application had been made without the knowledge of the PC.
2. 'The PC decided where those houses should be built' – untrue; the PC was not involved in the original proposal which stirred up all the fuss but did subsequently take control of the affordable housing initiative.
3. 'In their wisdom' the PC subsequently chose a piece of land containing an ancient burial ground' – untrue; altthough there are two archaeological sites nearby.
4. 'Locals know that other eminently more suitable sites were offered and rejected out of hand' – untrue; SHC and Devon Highways were consulted about site selection which was based on a table of clear, objective criteria as described in the information guide for SHDC's village housing initiative.
I would refer the correspondent to November's Bigbury News for an accurate, authoritative summary of Bigbury's affordable housing project, to date.