Minutes are a summary, not a word-for-word record. Below are points from the recording that matter for EXMO20 or the Local Plan, set against what the official minutes say about them. Judge for yourself: each clip opens at the moment it was said.
Chair: earlier allocation decisions could not be reversed at this meeting
Important Not in the minutes · Cllr Todd Olive (Chair) · 00:55:16 ▶
Said in the meeting“where I will take the opportunity before Mr Freeman speaks to remind members that we are looking at what has changed since the December version that we saw, because we have, of course, already approved the December version, which means unless members would like to suspend the Constitution, we can't go back and reverse those decisions at this time.”
The minutesNot recorded in the minutes.
This limited the scope of the debate. Members were told that site allocations, including EXMO20, could not be revisited at the meeting that approved the Regulation 19 plan. The officer repeated this at 01:05:01.
HRA: air pollution on the Pebblebed Heaths still needs a full mitigation strategy
Important Minutes much briefer · Ed Freeman (officer) · 01:02:25 ▶
Said in the meeting“Habitat Regulations work and further specialists on this air pollution issue so we are satisfied that it can be mitigated but we obviously need to develop a full mitigation strategy as part of further work to inform the plan for that to be submitted for examination…”
The minutesMembers noted that work was still ongoing in relation to air pollution and the Pebblebed Heaths.
The officer also said this air-pollution issue 'wasn't previously identified' (01:01:45). He confirmed that no mitigation strategy existed yet and that one was needed before submission. The minutes record only that work was ongoing.
Natural England to be consulted on heaths issues through Regulation 19
Important Not in the minutes · Ed Freeman (officer) · 01:03:03 ▶
Said in the meeting“…we will be consulting with Natural England on those issues and obviously working with them as the plan progresses through the examination process as well so as I say that's all an iterative process that works forward so we don't have the final answers we don't need to on some of those issues at this point…”
The minutesNot recorded in the minutes.
A public speaker said Natural England had not been properly consulted. The minutes record that claim but not the officer's answer: consultation would happen through Regulation 19, after the plan was approved, and final answers were not needed yet.
Water cycle study not available and not seen as essential
Important Minutes much briefer · Ed Freeman (officer) · 01:18:31 ▶
Said in the meeting“…so we don't have the water cycle study so that won't be going out to consultation at this stage but I think as we said in the report I don't consider that necessarily essential for the Local Plan that has obviously wider connotations than just that”
The minutesMembers also noted there were outstanding evidence documents which included: … Water Cycle Study.
The minutes list the water cycle study as outstanding. They do not record that it would not be published for this consultation, or the officer's view that it was not essential to the plan (repeated at 01:24:31 and 01:25:03).
Updated HRA is not final; work to continue beyond Regulation 19
Important Minutes much briefer · officer (probably Ed Freeman) · 01:24:01 ▶
Said in the meeting“…so we have an updated HRA again as I say it won't be a final one because as I say there's further work ongoing and there will be even beyond the regulation 19 consultation…”
The minutesThe Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management acknowledged that not all the final versions of the evidence documents had been seen and reassured Members that these documents did not contain any surprises
The plan, including EXMO20 next to the Pebblebed Heaths SAC/SPA, went to Regulation 19 with an HRA that the officer said was not final. The minutes record only that members had not seen all final versions.
Members had probably not seen the latest Sustainability Appraisal
Important Not in the minutes · officer (probably Ed Freeman) · 01:28:05 ▶
Said in the meeting“…sustainability appraisal again the sustainability appraisal is an iterative process so that's been carried out alongside so I've lost track of which iteration you've seen probably not the latest but again there won't be any surprises in there”
The minutesNot recorded in the minutes.
The Sustainability Appraisal is the statutory assessment of sites and reasonable alternatives. The officer said members approving the plan had probably not seen the latest version. The minutes do not mention the Sustainability Appraisal.
Cllr Davey: why members chose EXMO20
Important Not in the minutes · Cllr Olly Davey · 01:40:56 ▶
Said in the meeting“…just like to say about EXMO20 I think one of the reasons we asked officers to look at it again was because we considered it was a better location than some of the developments along hullam road that we really did not like and I think it was actually chosen as an alternative…”
The minutesNot recorded in the minutes.
A committee member's stated reason for the EXMO20 allocation: it was chosen as an alternative to Hulham Road sites. This is relevant to site selection and alternatives. He added that he was not at the meeting where it was approved.
Cllr Brian Bailey: opposed to EXMO20
Important Not in the minutes · Cllr Brian Bailey · 01:46:43 ▶
Said in the meeting“I'm totally against Exxon 20. When it did come up, it was seen as a least worst option, I think, was the quote from Councillor Howe when it came up. And the more we look into it, the worst choice. sometimes, personally, I think most of the committee that voted for it would probably wish that they hadn't.…”
The minutesNot recorded in the minutes.
A committee member said he opposed EXMO20 and described it as having been seen as the 'least worst option'. The minutes do not record any member's comments on EXMO20.
Public speaker: soundness should be tested before Regulation 19, and the HRA could not rule out adverse effects
Minutes differ · a public speaker · 00:18:42 ▶
Said in the meetingA member of the public raised this point. We don't quote or name members of the public, so play the clip to hear it.
The minutesthis should be rigorously assessed before the Local Plan is submitted for examination.
On the recording the speaker said soundness should be assessed before publication at Regulation 19, and that the HRA could not rule out adverse effects on site integrity (00:19:18). The minutes put the test at submission and record his HRA water and air quality concerns, but not that point.
EXMO20 access from the B3179 and Devon County Council's wording
Minutes differ · Ed Freeman (officer) · 01:04:15 ▶
Said in the meeting“…I think our reports have always highlighted that access would need to be from the B3179 and that there were issues in terms of access to the south uh on the eczema side so that was already known…”
The minutesHowever, the primary access was always to be from the B3179 and Members were made aware of this when deciding to allocate the site.
The minutes give this as a firm statement and add that members knew when they allocated the site. On the recording the officer said 'i think our reports have always highlighted'. The minutes also leave out the 'review of local road and junction capacity' (01:04:48).
Vice-Chair: known issues, including the HRA, could be fixed in the second Regulation 19 round
Minutes much briefer · Cllr Mike Howe (Vice-Chair) · 01:35:51 ▶
Said in the meeting“if we find issues we know there are issues but if we find issues that are unsurmountable because the HRA or anything else we can adjust and go through again in the second Reg 19 consultation”
The minutesSupport was expressed to keep to the original timescales and to publish the first phase of the Consultation on 10 February.
The minutes do not record the reason given for not waiting for the evidence: known issues, including the HRA, could be dealt with later. Nor do they record the officer's reply (01:36:21) that the second Regulation 19 consultation could be widened.
Cllr Brian Bailey: EXMO20 has no active travel and adds car journeys
Not in the minutes · Cllr Brian Bailey · 01:47:32 ▶
Said in the meeting“we're doing things that normally are under a less pressurised system we wouldn't even consider to do in XF20 for example we haven't got any active travel we've got pollution because we're running miles in the wrong direction to get to where we want to be in the first place”
The minutesNot recorded in the minutes.
A committee member raised sustainability concerns about EXMO20 (no active travel, car pollution) and linked the choice to time pressure. He also said the plan was 'seven eights prepared' (01:46:12).