Teignbridge District Council has performed well in the first UK-wide Council Climate Action Scorecards produced by Climate Emergency UK. It scored 47% overall, placing it 6th among other district councils. Among neighbouring councils, only Exeter City Council is ahead of Teignbridge, with its score of 56% putting it in second place, behind top scorer Lancaster City Council (61%).
Teignbridge is ahead of East Devon (42%), South Hams (37%) and Mid Devon (28%), while Torbay, a unitary authority, scored 22%.
Councils are scored for the action they have taken in seven areas, with the two most influential in the scoring for district councils being Buildings & Heating and Planning & Land Use. Teignbridge scored well above average for both of those. It performed worst in the Transport section, with a below average score of 8%, although the average was only 9%, so transport is clearly a problem area for many councils.
Devon County Council also scored well, coming third in the county council section with 50%. The top scorer in that section is Oxfordshire (53%). Devon did particularly well in the Buildings & Heating and Collaboration & Engagement sections.
The Scorecards are helpful in seeing what climate action your council has taken, how it compares with others, and what more it could do. Climate Emergency UK offers ideas for how councils could improve and various ways residents and community groups can use the Scorecard information. These include sharing your council’s score on social media and sending a letter about it to the local paper.
Climate Emergency UK assessed all UK councils on the actions they’ve taken towards net zero. The Scorecard assessment consists of 91 questions or less, depending on council type, across seve different sections, created in consultation with over 90 different organisations and individuals. Each council was marked against these criteria and given a right to reply before the scores underwent a final audit. This work was completed between January and August 2023.
ACT was formed in July 2019 following a public consultation/event (200 attendees). We are a not-for profit CIC raising funds from private/public donations and grants (turnover ~£10k). A steering group is responsible for delivering our mission through the various in-house and external groups we collaborate with:
“To provide independent encouragement and support for Teignbridge District Council, town and parish councils, community groups, businesses, organisations and residents in the district to act together on [mitigating climate change and ecological collapse]”. See full text here.
The following is a list of the type of activities ACT undertakes with some examples.
Engaged with TDC Planning re implementation of exiting local plan (LP) policies and development of future LP policies.
Provided ad-hoc support to TDC officers and councillors on a variety of projects/initiatives: ecology; carbon footprint calculations; estate energy assessment; user-friendly carbon calculator; residents’ drop-ins.
Participated in regular liaison meetings with TDC, these are expected to evolve into a more project-based structure.
Responded in detail to all TDC consultations relating to climate and ecology mitigation.
Provided responses to many planning applications re non-adherence to TDC/national policies.
Award-winning scheme. Trained over 100 volunteers covering almost all Teignbridge areas.
WW volunteers undertake projects in their areas: surveys; planting/restoration; events; community gardens and orchards; rewilding; citizen science and monitoring projects; responding to consultations and planning applications.
WW volunteers are backed and supported by a paid scheme coordinator and ACT resources.
Recently launched scheme. Trained 22 volunteer across Teignbridge.
CC volunteers undertake community projects to help them engage with their energy use and associated carbon emissions. This can be through: gatherings with neighbours/friends/family; having a presence at local events; providing carbon cafes; giving talks/presentations; supporting local groups/organisations.
CC volunteers are backed and supported by a paid scheme coordinator and ACT resources.
Engagement with the public
Organised several ACT public events direct, e.g. Ashburton & Dawlish presentations to local councils; Energy Road Show; members’ gathering; EV event.
Presence/stalls at a number of annual events, e.g. Dawlish GBGW; Newton Abbot Fayre; Dawlish Retrofit; Ogwell Energy Saving; Totnes Energy Wise; Dawlish Turn The Tide.
On-line and traditional media
Manage a Facebook page and developed own website(s) as a depository of information/resources.
Submit/publish regular articles and letters in the MDA.
ACT resources and support
Developed a host of on-line tools and resources as well as props, stall materials, posters and games, e.g. CFT and associated factors/action lookup; GIS maps for Local Plan and other data relating to WW & CC schemes; planning application notification tool.
Greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions are the cause of climate change. It is the amount of these in the atmosphere, measured in parts per million (ppm), that have a direct link to man-made temperature rise. Net-Zero is a dangerous diversion as it ignores how much ghg we emit in the intervening period, this is the Carbon Budget.
In order to for “Teignbridge District Council to achieve its Part 1 and 2 Carbon Reduction Plans and to ensure Teignbridge is on a path to achieve no more than 1.5C of warming”, we need to measure and manage our ghg emissions.
The following actual/target annual carbon footprints provide a measure of progress to date for in-house TDC, Teignbridge as a whole and new housing developments. All ghg emissions are consumption based CO2equivalent (CO2e) in units of kilo-tonne (kt) or Mega-tonne (Mt).
Historic emissions up to 2021 are government or TDC sourced. Planned/projected emissions for 2021 onwards are TDC sourced or based on the UK’s legally binding Carbon Budgets. Note that these legal UK budgets only assume a 50% likelihood of remaining below the 1.5OC atmospheric temperature rise. We have included the IPCC Paris-agreement compliant carbon budgets which require a 67% likelihood of remaining below 1.5OC as a comparison.
Based on RICS, a new build house has embodied emissions of between 435 and 585 kg CO2e/m2 An average new build house has a floor area of 76m2(Savils 2015) ., so it would have embedded emissions of about 38 t CO2e each.
Each additional household will add a further 14.5 t CO2e / year from those who live in it (assuming the Newton Abbot average household consumption emissions from the Impact tool)
The consumption based ghg emissions from housing developed in 2019-21 and a 720 houses per year projection is shown below. We believe this burden on the remaining carbon budget can be mitigated within current UK building regulations, please refer to ACT’s response to the LP consultation on this.
ACT took a stand at the Fayre held on Saturday 26th August, and luckily the forecast rain and thunderstorm failed to put in an appearance! The stand was a bit isolated from the main events but we had plenty of visitors despite this.
It was a combined energy / carbon cutting and wildlife warden stand. Seven of us turned up to chat to the visitors and enjoyed talking them through the various models, games, exhibits and interactive “opinionameter” (a white board and pens!).
Watch the video on our Facebook page to get a flavour of the ACT offering. The wildlife wardens were busy all day discussing animal skulls, owl pellets and other interesting objects with the younger visitors, and giving away wildflower seeds. On the carbon cutting part of the stand, we demonstrated working models and the carbon budget bucket, played the E=MC2 game, and encouraged visitors to make their opinions known on the white board.
The last visitor of the day to the white board made their opinion on climate change loud and clear: it’s a hoax they wrote!
Most other people were “very” concerned about climate change and agreed we should have onshore wind turbines in Teignbridge.
There was less agreement about electric cars. Some had no doubt their next car would be electric, while others were concerned about the cost.
We all enjoyed the day, felt it had gone well, and would definitely attend similar events in future.
We will be setting up a stall at this event on Saturday August 26th in Courtenay Park and would love to see you there. Both Wildlife Wardens and Carbon Cutters will be there with a range of exhibits, games and a quiz so come and test your knowledge, or just to chat.
Interested in lending a hand?
We are looking for people who are keen to take action on climate change by helping out at events we run or attend. This could include suggesting marketing messages we can send out, or talking to and/or listening to people. We plan to set up a group of willing helpers who will inspire each other! Please note you don’t need to be an expert, just passionate about taking action on climate change.
Visit us at our stand on Saturday if you’d like to know more, or if you can’t get to that, please contact Kate.
Can you paint, write, dance, make music or sing?
We ‘d like to meet you! We aim to form a creative community group within ACT focused on inspiring more people to take action on climate change. Art in all its forms speaks to us in a different way from facts and figures. We need to communicate the urgency of acting on the climate and ecological emergency in every way possible. So if you have any artistic talents, or know someone who does, please contact Kate for more information.
ACT events at Christow Village Hall
We were delighted to welcome ACT members in June to a packed evening featuring two events. We started with a storytelling session, with panellists telling their stories of how the climate and ecological emergency affects them before everyone was invited to contribute. This was followed by a discussion on how to tackle the issue of water pollution, featuring three speakers.
Welcome to Janine Peyre, an enthusiastic Carbon Cutter!
Janine is one of our recent Carbon Cutter recruits and has got off to a flying start by engaging family and friends in helping to reduce carbon emissions. She hopes to begin engaging the public on a regular basis at a venue in Teignmouth in the autumn. Read all about Janine here.
Energy Group
Monthly meetings continue. Here’s a link to the notes from the last meeting. Topics covered include retrofit, offsetting and greenwashing, and home batteries.
Wildlife Wardens
Read the latest newsletter to find out what Wildlife Wardens have been doing. Activities include:
We are reviewing our arrangements with the council following the local elections in May. The new administration is settling in and we will continue to support them in taking action on the climate and ecological emergency as we have for the past four years, but the liaison strategy may change.
Economy Group
This group has been revitalised recently. Its main aim is to bring 20th century thinking about economics, and its addiction to GDP and profit growth, into the hot light of the 21st century, in which we need economies that enable all people to thrive and prosper within the means of the planet and nature. Find out more here.
Carbon capture and storage: fact or fantasy?
The UK government has committed to a big expansion of carbon capture and storage (CCS), along with plans for more oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. Using CCS is a prerequisite of expanding fossil fuel extraction if the UK is to stick to its target of reaching net zero by 2050.
The government will spend £20bn over 20 years to support the establishment of two CCS clusters by 2025, and a further two by 2030. The aim is to capture 20-30 megatons (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year and store it under the North Sea.
ACT’sStorytelling Event on 24th June, attended by around 40 ACT members, was quite a change from typical ACT events, which focus on the facts and figures of climate science and carbon emissions. Many people can’t or won’t engage with the science so we wanted to find other ways of communicating, and of connecting with each other’s feelings and experiences. We thought storytelling might help people understand the need for carbon cutting.
Three panellists set the scene with their personal stories of why and how the climate and ecological emergency affects them, then everyone present was invited to contribute their own stories and connections.
We heard beautiful memories of the vitality of wildlife, worries about the survival of future generations, and about hope generated by action. There was also uncertainty about how to talk with friends and family who don’t understand climate harm, feelings of betrayal by adults who fail to support young people who want change, and inspiration from role models who lead the way. And these were just some of the topics we touched on.
We concluded by pulling together some of the common threads and weaving them into our knowledge of the psychological science of effective climate communication before the panellists offered their final reflections.
One comment at the end maybe summed up the feelings of many of us, calling for more “passionate leadership” to tackle the challenges we face.
We will use the feedback from those attending to consider how to follow up.
Water Quality Event
The mermaid takes centre stage at an XR protest in Dawlish
This event featured several presentations followed by a discussion on what can be done to improve the water quality of our rivers and estuaries, how we can work together, and plans for the future, writes Betina Winkler.
Anna Seal from the West Country Rivers Trust talked about how the Trust started, gave an overview of the areas it works in, and explained its citizen science investigation project, which covers rivers all over the South West region. For more information visit: https://wrt.org.uk/westcountry-csi/
David Leach of the Dartmoor Peatland Restoration Project explained how peat is formed, where we find the peatland areas in Dartmoor and the extent of degradation. The South West Peatland Partnership has projects in Exmoor and Dartmoor. Rachel Land talked about upcoming volunteering opportunities. Emma Magee, South Devon Catchment Coordinator for the Environment Agency, is responsible for delivering the EA’s environment programme within South Devon. She provided some links from her presentation:
Janine joined ACT’s Carbon Cutters group to help others understand what individuals can do to cut their carbon emissions.
Janine says: “The topic is very urgent and doing the ACT training course inspired me to help spread the message. I am learning things myself on a daily basis and have spoken to friends, family, neighbours and acquaintances about reducing their carbon emissions. What I like to pass on to my parish is ‘awareness’, so every one of us is prepared to think about what our actions mean to our planet and what we can all do to try and rectify any damage caused by these actions.”
Janine has been aware of her own carbon impact for some time and limits it by cycling or taking the bus when possible, driving a second hand electric car and using coach companies for holidays. She has reduced her heating costs by insulating her home, and has installed solar panels and storage batteries.
Janine says: “The thing I feel has most cut my own carbon footprint is to try and upcycle and re-use as well as reduce my own consumption. I buy second hand, and repair appliances if possible and find out the source of goods, as much as I can, before purchase. I think about my meat and fish intake, which is now nearly at vegetarian level, and I grow fruit and some vegetables in my insect friendly garden. I also keep bees and recycle rainwater where I can.
“I would recommend to everyone to become a carbon cutter to make life more bearable for the next generation and generations to come, so they can leave a better legacy for the planet than my generation.”
Hello fellow Carbon Cutters, I’m Scott Williams , your new coordinator, and I’m here to help.
Firstly a bit about me. I’ve been aware of the problems created by our burning of greenhouse gases for some time, since the call to ban CFCs, and have been trying to reduce my carbon and ecological impact and leave no trace. I picked up a copy of ‘This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook’ and joined Action on Climate in Teignbridge, signing up as a Wildlife Warden. I am the founder of Turn The Tide Festival alongside Dave Hutton. In serendipity that same year ACT launched the Carbon Cutters project aiming to help communities across Teignbridge find sustainable ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
I’m also responsible for Reconnect Magazine, where we regularly provide local examples of carbon reduction, and champion reduce, repair and recycle.
Carbon Cutters can be change makers
It’s time to visualise a ‘net zero’ future, and how we might co-create that. I see Carbon Cutters as change makers, offering those seeking our help the opportunity to really imagine what life will be like, and offer possible pathways to get there.
A practical place we can start is by supporting local projects that already exist, or importing good ideas, and creating the conditions for low carbon ecosystems. We can educate and empower our young people with the knowledge and expertise they’ll need in the coming decades. We can work with local councils to provide enabling resources, and helpful policy and intentions that inspire our communities.
As your Carbon Cutter Coordinator, I’m here to help you focus on promoting the ideas and actions that offer the easiest way to reduce emissions. We can help an individual (or organisation) find for themselves the best direct action they can take, doing things within their control.
I see my role as a signpost, a community notice board, and an information centre. To signpost how to build resilience and community resource security. To find things to do, to celebrate what’s been achieved and to give everyone access to the information and advice they need to determine how best they can be empowered to cut their carbon footprint. If I can’t find the solutions to questions then our network can. Together we can share ideas, knowledge and cooperate on initiatives.
There’s a wealth of things those in our community wanting to bring about a change for the better are doing, I feel we just need to highlight them more. To do that I’d like to know about them, no matter how small or wacky. As Coordinator I hope to spread ideas and activities, and help community involvement in them. Once I’ve found my feet, I’m hoping to initialise a few new Carbon Cutters projects. In the meantime please let me know what you have done, are doing, and hope to do. I’d love to hear your ideas.
Training
Our next set of Carbon Cutters Training will take place over four sessions (the first one being an introduction) and we are set to start shortly. Please send anyone interested in getting on board my contact details: email scott@actionclimateteignbridge.org.
At the bottom of the piece there’s a link to the Net Zero Vision book, edited by David Sergeant and Emma Whittaker. This is a collection of essays by transition experts on key sectors of the Devon Carbon Plan’ in which Jay Tompt’s article first appeared.
Happenings
Dawlish will be celebrating the King’s Big Help Out as part of the coronation on 8th May with their Refreshers Fair which offers a chance for attendees to find out about volunteering locally and has over 20 organisations attending, including ours.
This year’s Big Green Week will be happening from 10th-18th June. I’m not aware of any specific things happening in Teignbridge – if you know of something please let me know.
A storytelling event has been organised by ACT for 26th June, 6-9pm at the Courtenay Centre (home to Newton Abbot’s first community fridge). The event is a pilot. The idea is that storytelling is an important way humans communicate. The actions we need to take and the understandings we have need to be personal, practical and perceptible. People from ACT will talk about how it felt for them to engage in climate action and the audience will share their stories, and have a reflective conversation about the stories they’ve heard.
Thank you to our sponsors
Lastly I would like to thank our sponsors Teign Energy Communities TECs for their support.
Welcome! It’s been a while since we updated you on ACT’s activities. That’s because we’ve been busy running our existing projects and setting up new ones. We’re sure there’s lots more we could do with your help, and we’re compiling a list of the skills, roles and support we need to take on even more projects.
We have also decided we need a stronger focus on communicating with members, so will aim to keep you informed on a more regular basis. Some of you will receive updates from the topic groups you belong to, but may have little knowledge of what else ACT does. We discovered this was the case at our Members Gathering, held in the autumn and pictured below. Thanks to all who attended. Read on for a sample of what we’ve been doing recently.
Teignbridge Carbon Cutters
We launched this group a year ago, aiming to train up volunteers so they can help their communities reduce their carbon emissions. We have run three training courses, attended by 19 people. If you’re interested in the idea of making carbon reduction happen in your community we would love to hear from you. Visit the Facebook page or the Carbon Cutters website to find out more or contact the Carbon Cutters coordinator.
Steering Group takes over!
This is the group that takes an overview of all our activities. It was previously known as the Coordinating Group but the name was changed following a review of ACT’s purpose and aims. The group’s most immediate focus is on putting together a response to the draft Local Plan, which is open for consultation until March 13th.
It is not clear how the policy relates to the government’s Carbon Budgets;
There is no requirement to reduce, or even state, the embodied emissions of a development as the policy only covers operational emissions;
There is too much allowance for using offsetting to reach net zero operational emissions.
We will propose changes to the policy in our response.
The steering group is also creating a list of areas where extra help is needed within ACT. This might be helping out in an existing project area, filling a gap we’re already aware of, beginning a new interest group or shadowing someone. All roles within ACT are voluntary, and many of us are not experts. Our effectiveness and impact is likely to be much improved with more hands on deck! If you would like to find out more, contact Kate, ACT’s chairperson.
Another initiative is to invite new members of ACT to a welcome meeting so we can get to know each other. We have held a number of these already and they are working well. If you would like to attend a welcome meeting to find out more about what we do and how you might help, contact Kate.
Energy Group
This group holds meetings every four weeks to discuss whatever topics those who attend want to talk about. It has also held several “at home” sessions in members’ houses to inspect and discuss the energy efficiency / carbon reduction measures taken by those members. Some members also provide input to the Carbon Action Plan that Teignbridge District Council is working on. In particular, they are updating ACT’s Carbon Footprint Tracker to make it more user friendly so it can be included in the plan. For more information on the energy group visit the website or contact Fuad.
Public Engagement Group
This group has a new focus on engaging with ACT members in a bid to increase their active involvement. We’ve taken a first step by contacting everyone who indicated an interest in Public Engagement when they joined ACT. We will continue to produce content for the website and for other media whenever we can and would love to hear from anyone who has something to say about climate change or biodiversity, or wants to share information about relevant groups and activities they are involved with.
We also continue to be involved in local events organised by other community groups such as
Turn the Tide and the Great Big Green Week. If you would like to help with an event or to share your views on environmental issues, contact Pauline.
Teignbridge Wildlife Wardens
The Wildlife Warden scheme has been running since autumn 2020 and held a celebration in January (pictured below) to mark its success, and to say goodbye to scheme coordinator Flavio.
There are now more than 100 Wildlife Wardens, involved in lots of different projects. One project has achieved great results: the Devon Biodiversity Records Centre (DBRC) is registering three new County Wildlife Sites as a result of work by Wildlife Warden surveying teams. Two of the sites are meadows beside the River Teign, and the third is Blackley Wood in Trusham. DBRC has been in touch about some more possible sites for this spring/summer. Visit the website to find out more.
Economy Group
Formally known as “Economy and Business” this group has been on ice for a while, but we feel it’s time people are made aware of how our outdated economic system is not only the driving force behind the climate and ecological crisis but is the last thing we should be using to get us out of it.
The group will explore and promote the work of 21st century economists offering new ideas, and provide guidance to ACT’s wider audience without the smoke, mirrors and myths employed by those wishing to maintain the status quo. Check out the Facebook page and future newsletters for updates and contact Paul with any thoughts and suggestions.
4Fs Group, covering Farming, Food, Forestry and Fisheries
This group’s main focus has been on farming, as there is a lot of uncertainty linked to the change in farming subsidies. We have run a series of events for local farmers on regenerative agriculture, giving them an opportunity to discuss new ideas and exchange knowledge. We hope to run a couple more.
The food sub-grouphas been looking for ways to encourage local people and organisations to buy local food. We would like to establish links to schools and other ‘buying groups’, enhance the provision of local food markets and foster discussions with the public about local food.
The forestry sub-group hasn’t been active recently, but there are lots of tree planting schemes happening. If you are interested please look into Park Life SW events.
The fisheries sub-group is involved in the West Country Rivers Trust and River Teign Restoration Project citizen science projects to measure water quality in different river catchments. Members have also taken part in consultations about the dredging of the Exmouth Marina and we hope to organise a meeting about the restoration of seagrass beds in our estuaries.
To find out more about 4Fs or get involved please contact Betina.
Liaison with Teignbridge District Council
ACT was originally set up to support TDC after it made its Climate Emergency declaration in 2019, and has met with relevant councillors and officers on a monthly basis from the outset. The meetings alternate between climate issues and ecological issues, with a presentation at each, usually by a council officer.The most recent presentation was on the progress of TDC’s Carbon Action Plan. In the summer of 2022, we met at Teignmouth Lido to see progress on the installation of heat pumps and solar panels (pictured).
Liaison with other groups
ACT keeps in contact with other groups so we can work together to address the climate and ecological emergency.
ACT attended a protest gathering about River Teign Pollution held on 28th January. This was a joint Community Action with many groups among the 200+ people who were present. A blue plaque in the style of English Heritage was one of around 90 such plaques unveiled around the country calling out local MPs who voted against protection for rivers.
Coming up: The Big One Protest. A mass action and “Movement of Movements” is planned for 21st-24th April in London. The intention is to hold a peaceful gathering of around 100,000 people around the Houses of Parliament. The aim is to achieve a ‘critical mass’ creating a moment that is impossible for politicians to ignore. All major environmental and climate concerned groups will be represented and minor ones too! A number of local people will be attending. Please get in touch with Mandy Cole if you want to join up with them. You will have to arrange your own transport and accommodation, although there may be coaches going from Exeter/Totnes.
Women’s Institute: We are working with the regional WI on a variety of projects and linking up with their climate ambassadors.
If you have any spare time and would like to get involved in our activities please let us know.
Teignbridge Wildlife Wardens enjoyed their first Big Gathering on January 29th, as 50 of the 100 plus team of wardens came together in the Teign Valley, writes Scott Williams. They convened at Oxen Park Farm, Higher Ashton, on a cold Saturday morning.
The venue is the location for Teign Greens, local food growers, and On the Hill Camp, a great organisation that educates school groups, universities, adults and families to live healthily and in harmony with nature.
This was the first time the Wildlife Wardens had had a chance to come together since the scheme was set up more than two years ago, so it was a happy occasion. However, the gathering’s mood was slightly tempered as it was also an opportunity for the wardens to say farewell to Flavio Winkler Ford, the scheme’s co-ordinator, who is moving on to a job in Scotland.
Flavio said: “We never managed to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Wildlife Warden Scheme in October, so we organised a big gathering in January. There is a lot to celebrate! We now have over 100 Wildlife Wardens, and we are really proud of everything that you have achieved.
“Audrey was awarded Radio Devon’s Make a Difference Award for her work on the WW Scheme, and the Devon Local Nature Partnership awarded the Teignbridge Wildlife Wardens the ‘Special Award’ at their Community Wildlife Awards evening. Ogwild and Exminster Green Spaces also won awards. Well done everyone! Your hard work is being recognised.”
Host for the day, Jo Clark, made everyone welcome as they gathered in one of Oxen Park’s spacious rooms. ACT’s Audrey Compton spoke briefly about hedges and the new ones that she and John had planted last summer at their Teign Valley farm, and managed to keep alive in the drought.
Audrey had also invited two interesting speakers to further the group’s hedge and tree knowledge. First up was Shira Rub, a Wildlife Warden from Ashton, who spoke about her work surveying hedgerows. Then Dominic Scanlon spoke about trees and hedges. Dom works for Aspect Tree Consultancy and has also worked for Teignbridge District Council. He spoke about the importance of trees and hedges, and planting new ones, as well as legislation such as Tree Preservation Orders.
There was then a moment to thank Flavio for all his great work in the last few years and wish him all the best in his new role.
After a delicious homemade hot soup, there was an opportunity to enjoy a tour of Oxen Park Farm with Jo and Dom to see the ponds, a charcoal maker (Jo brought it from nearby Embercombe), new fencing, not to mention some beautiful countryside.
The farm has thousands of new tree plantings, and the group learnt about the problems of local deer who like eating new saplings. They also heard about and inspected old deer park walls, found an ancient oak and saw the new orchard – word is the inaugural Wassail will be next year!
The venue proved to be a perfect location for the gathering, and the range of homemade cakes the Wardens contributed were well received. The first Big Gathering was a great success and it’s hoped it will now (at last) become an annual event.
The Wildlife Warden Scheme is run by Action on Climate in Teignbridge’s (ACT) Ecology Group, supported by Teignbridge District Council, Devon Wildlife Trust, the Woodland Trust and Devon Biodiversity Record Centre. Founded just before the pandemic the volunteer, parish-based, Wildlife Warden Scheme was started to help our wildlife survive and thrive and to mitigate the Ecological and Climate Emergency.
Scott Williams is a Dawlish Wildlife Warden and publisher of Reconnect magazine
Teignbridge District Council’s draft Local Planis open for comment until noon on Monday March 13th. The plan details ‘how’ and ‘where’ proposed new housing and employment related development will take place in the district until 2040. It includes site allocations for housing, employment and wind turbines. The sites included are additional to those already allocated under the existing Local Plan.
This is the final version of the plan after several previous consultations. After the consultation closes there will be a public examination hearing held by an independent planning inspector.
If you wish to respond to the consultation it is advisable to watch the explanatory video. To read the whole plan, click on the Proposed Submission. For a shorter read, go to the Need To Know Guide. Note that when you are ready to respond, you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the Start button.
You can comment on specific aspects of the plan, the whole plan, other consultation documents or supporting evidence. There are sections on climate change and the environment that lay out the proposed policies on these issues.
In brief
The plan allows for 4,560 new homes.
This is additional to the 7,969 already committed toin the existing Local Plan.
About 65 hectares are allocated for employment sites.
There are 10 sites for wind turbine development, which the plan says could generate 15% of the district’s electricity supply.
Quite a lot of land has been identified as potentially suitable for installing ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels.
Most of the homes will be built in or around Newton Abbot and Kingsteignton (37%) or on the edge of Exeter (46%).
Of the new employment sites 55% are allocated to Newton Abbot and 31% to Exeter.
