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Tuesday 8 December 2015

Knowle relocation project: meeting in Honiton "extremely useful in allowing EDDC to hear any concerns"

The District Council has voted to move to Honiton:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: volte face: the District Council will not be moving to Skypark: "Development at Knowle and changes to destination to be considered by cabinet"
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: comparing the Sidmouth and Honiton/Exmouth options

Although there had been several 'issues' around that location:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: "a thorough examination of all facts and figures in respect of the relocation"
Futures Forum: The future of Heathpark: a conflagration of issues...

There are several reasons for the move, amongst them:
Accessibility:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: and the politics of maps ..... "What I have found most difficult to understand is why EDDC ever decided to base itself in Sidmouth where over 50 per cent of the area covered by a 20 mile diameter is in the English Channel."
Or not:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: moving to an industrial estate where 'no-one would bother to attend a Council meeting'

There is the question of designing a new HQ:
Futures Forum: The Carbuncle Cup Prize for East Devon's new buildings
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: the cost of council buildings: before and after

But several of these questions will remain unanswered for the moment:

WANT TO KNOW ABOUT EDDC HQ MOVE? BE A HEATHPARK TENANT

8 DEC 2015
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It seems that tenants at Heathpark are going to be better informed about EDDC’s moving plans than the rest of us – including councillors, according to the front page of the View from Honiton today!
Want to know about EDDC HQ move? Be a Heathpark tenant | East Devon Watch

This is the complete piece from the View from Honiton just available on-line:

HONITON: Council updates tenants on HQ move

By Peter Hodges in Local People
East Devon District Council has begun a series of regular progress update meetings with its small business tenants at the East Devon Business Centre in Honiton.
Their purpose is to keep tenants of the Heathpark Industrial Estate informed about the council’s plans for its new headquarters, which will be built next door to the centre at Heathpark.
EDDC say they are keen to ensure that tenants know the latest details about the relocation and will give them the chance to discuss progress with key officers involved in the development of the council’s new office building.
The council’s Deputy Chief Executive, Richard Cohen, together with Leader of the Council and Honiton ward member Paul Diviani, Councillor Philip Skinner, portfolio holder for Economy and relocation project managers, recently met with tenants to let them know about what the future holds for the business centre when the new neighbouring HQ is completed.
Tenants were informed that the council’s designers, AECOM, will shortly start work on plans for the new building and how it will sit close by and link with the business centre.
At the meeting, tenants were able to share their concerns over potential problems such as the level of disturbance they may face while construction work is taking place including parking. They also asked what improvements they might see when the new office has been completed.
Commenting on the council’s relocation plans for Honiton, Councillor Paul Diviani said the meeting had been extremely useful in allowing EDDC to hear any concerns.
He said: “The businesses views are important to us. However, the meeting also enabled us to share our vision for the future of the council, which is now moving forward into an exciting planning phase, which we want the tenants to be part of. We look forward to having more of these meetings with our business tenants, which will allow us to talk openly and to address any issues, as well as showing how work is progressing.
“With works planned to start in the summer of 2016, we are now looking at an anticipated move in around autumn 2017. When this happens the positive impact of having the council on the same site as the business centre, will open up many dynamic opportunities for our tenants.”
Councillor Philip Skinner said: “The building of the new EDDC headquarters will dramatically heighten the profile of the existing business centre, offering great opportunities for tenants to benefit from increased footfall, exposure and trade.”
A further update meeting with tenants is being arranged later this month to make sure they have the latest information, as well as the design detail that is currently being considered. They also asked what improvements they might see when the new office has been completed.

HONITON: Council updates tenants on HQ move | Pulman's View from Honiton
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