Cllr Charlotte Fitzgerald – where they stand

Where they stand

Position not clear

Raised concerns as a ward member in February 2025 about EXMO20's late allocation and B3179 access, and as a committee member asked in May 2026 whether its heath traffic could be a 'red line', while saying in November 2025 she was not convinced the 400 m buffer should be taken out of the site.

I feel that I have been taken by surprised by the late allocation of this siteStrategic Planning Committee, 4 February 2025 · 00:27:59 ▶ · meeting page · Ward member statement raising concerns; she did not ask for removal.

I am not convinced that bringing it out, bringing the buffer zone out of the site plan is the way forward, just to be clear.Strategic Planning Committee, 25 November 2025 (morning) · 02:09:11 ▶ · meeting page · Did not support taking the 400 m buffer out of the site.

is that something which um officers consider might be um a sort of a red lineStrategic Planning Committee, 5 May 2026 · 01:29:36 ▶ · meeting page · Asked whether EXMO20's heath traffic could be a 'red line'; a question.

Everything they said about EXMO20 at the meetings

19 passages from the council recordings, in date order. Each time stamp plays the recording at that moment.

Strategic Planning Committee, 4 February 2025 (6)

This site for 700 homes was allocated in the latter planning stages as the suggestion of members and against officers' recommendation.00:26:25 ▶ · B. Site selection: HELAA, officer advice and why EXMO20 was included (“justified”) (93)

Changes made to the draft plan since December means that car access to the site can no longer come from Withycombe but must all come from the B3179, the main road to the north-west which skirts the Bicton and Dowditch Common in my ward. The access point is on a dangerous stretch of road with no pedestrian access.00:26:46 ▶ · D. Deliverability: access, sewage, water, infrastructure, viability (“effective”) (125)

Indeed, following the Regulation 18 consultation, the northwestern built-up area boundary for Budleigh was moved back to the line of the B3179 such that development immediately to the northwest of the town could not take place within this planned period. This was done precisely because there is no footpath along the road and having tried to walk it myself before I can confirm it is very dangerous.00:27:09 ▶ · D. Deliverability: access, sewage, water, infrastructure, viability (“effective”) (125)

The B3179 forms the border of the Pebblebed Heath's triple s I which enjoys one of the highest levels of protection of all designations building a major access point right beside these this triple s I and potentially laying down car parks and sports pitches in the space occupying the 400 meters development buffer which would all no doubt require lights is likely to damage it00:27:33 ▶ · A. Habitats Regulations, Pebble Bed Heaths, air quality and ecology (126)

I feel that I have been taken by surprised by the late allocation of this site and just as importantly by the change of access arrangements just before it goes to regulation 19 consultation leaving no possibility of a rethink. Evidently this has been an unintended consequence of rushing to allocate sites at the very end of the process … the Budleigh and east Budleigh town and parish councils should have been consulted00:27:59 ▶ · 4. Councillors admitting EXMO20 should not have been allocated, or that allocating it was a mistake (30)

I can see how this site would have been particularly attractive due to its size however the Budleigh and east Budleigh town and parish councils should have been consulted00:28:28 ▶ · H. Heritage and other (51)

About this meeting · full transcript

Strategic Planning Committee, 25 November 2025 – morning session (3)

just picking up on uh what Councillor Davey just said about EXMO20 in the buffer zone … we have a bit of a problem with um antisocial behavior um people driving cars and donutting in the car park at Lime Kiln which is extra problematic because we're not allowed well because it's in a well all sorts of protected areas being right next to the law it does not have lighting and I understand anecdotally that the police cannot put in cameras01:52:17 ▶ · I. Admissions (24)

so as I said I I have no strong feelings about whether or not it stays within the uh the buffer zone stays within the site or not02:05:27 ▶ · I. Admissions (24)

I am not convinced that bringing it out, bringing the buffer zone out of the site plan is the way forward, just to be clear.02:09:11 ▶ · I. Admissions (24)

About this meeting · full transcript

Strategic Planning Committee, 5 May 2026 (7)

Present, and I have received lobbying in respect of Agenda Item 7 and the Reg 19 consultation, specifically with regards to EXMO20.00:11:19 ▶ · I. Admissions (24)

the the ea has has one of its responses was that deficiencies in the water cycle study are affecting the plan's soundness01:07:34 ▶ · 2. Outstanding pieces of work (HRA, Air Quality Mitigation report, etc.) – especially dates and promises (257)

the ea has has one of its responses was that deficiencies in the water cycle study are affecting the plan's soundness um which has caused a quite a lot of concern to me because you know this is a piece of work that we spent a lot of time working on and we're heavily reliant on it01:07:34 ▶ · D. Deliverability: access, sewage, water, infrastructure, viability (“effective”) (125)

another consult statutory consultee that came back um the nhs Devon icb stating that primary care infrastructure needs are not properly reflected in the idp or allocations that's on pages 55 and 56 uh calling for including explicit health infrastructure planning phasing obligations for some of our bigger sites01:08:26 ▶ · D. Deliverability: access, sewage, water, infrastructure, viability (“effective”) (125)

I I do want to bring up one thing related to EXMO20 which received an absolutely enormous amount of responses in this in this consultation … the air quality report on the regarding the Pebblebed Heaths is still outstanding … the significant amount uplift in vehicle journeys that are going to be going across Pebblebed Heaths resulting from EXMO20 and is that something which um officers consider might be um a sort of a red line as it were that that is going to make it really difficult for for that site to to be valid01:29:36 ▶ · A. Habitats Regulations, Pebble Bed Heaths, air quality and ecology (126)

I I know that you you were particularly keen to concentrate on certain areas not necessarily specific site allocations in in the consultate in the second consultation01:29:45 ▶ · 3. The second consultation – anything that could be classed as predeterminative (104)

because the air quality report on the regarding the Pebblebed Heaths is still outstanding01:30:02 ▶ · 2. Outstanding pieces of work (HRA, Air Quality Mitigation report, etc.) – especially dates and promises (257)

About this meeting · full transcript

Strategic Planning Committee, 14 July 2026 (3)

Councillor Fitzgerald present just to declare that I have been lobbied on EXMO20.00:10:36 ▶ · I. Admissions (24)

Malcom viability testing. It states, in the absence of subsidy funding, the new community will struggle to be a financially viable development proposition.00:57:45 ▶ · 2. Outstanding pieces of work (HRA, Air Quality Mitigation report, etc.) – especially dates and promises (257)

my third question is regarding the water cycle study this is absolutely essential to this council for being able to put a break on development that can't be supported by wastewater treatment capacity I know this is a huge issue across the district obviously I'm mostly concerned with Maer Lane and with the lime kiln pumping station in Budleigh00:59:23 ▶ · D. Deliverability: access, sewage, water, infrastructure, viability (“effective”) (125)

About this meeting · full transcript

How we decide where someone stands: our method. Anything wrong? Tell us and we'll correct it.