Campaign for Tavistock reopening

[whole diary]

[34104]

Those following the Tavistock reopening initiative may be interested to learn that there has been a management buyout at Kilbride, taking in the various rail projects, including the Bere Alston-Tavistock initiative. here's the press release: 

http://www.kilbridegroup.com/docs/view_news.asp?nid=48

Does anyone have any info on what's happening on the ground?

Its been pretty quiet for a month or two.The Tavvy Times had a report a couple of weeks ago that Mr Frost of Kilbride had been in discussion with Calstock council about where the proposals would leave the branch to Gunnislake,but nothing definite was forthcoming,still under discussion.There's been no further clearance work undertaken recently either,so not much to report there,either. Hopefully the buy out at Kilbride will not adversely affect the scheme,judging by the press release,it would appear not.

[mjthomson]

100% agree with the re-opening of the Tavistock line. When you think back 40 years or so Tavistock had both a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) station and a Southern railway connection. Since then it has substantially increased in size and traffic on the A386 into Plymouth has been very heavy. Come on DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) and the Government do what you said in 1997 when you were elected and take traffic off the road and invest in our railways.

[woody]

The railway line was a victim of the Beeching 'axe' of the 1960s.

"It's a long process. We are hoping that the construction programme will start in 2013," Mr Frost said.

"The actual construction work will only take about nine months, depending on what time of year we start.

"Before that we have to get through the legal process to reinstate the line."

Kilbride has done numerous transport schemes around the country, specialising in rail freight until recently.
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Tavistock-rail-link-track-2014-start/article-1627921-detail/article.html

[woody]

The railway line was a victim of the Beeching 'axe' of the 1960s.

"It's a long process. We are hoping that the construction programme will start in 2013," Mr Frost said.

"The actual construction work will only take about nine months, depending on what time of year we start.

"Before that we have to get through the legal process to reinstate the line."

Kilbride has done numerous transport schemes around the country, specialising in rail freight until recently.
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Tavistock-rail-link-track-2014-start/article-1627921-detail/article.html

[FlyingDutchman]

Why are some partys more against the railways the other

[34104]

Thanks for the update, John.  Sounds very different from when I was along there - really good stuff.

Good too to hear about the work around Gawton Bridge - when I did my walk four years or so ago, the trackbed was pretty impenetrable around there - lots of brambles etc but the ballast appeared to have just been left when the track was lifted.  I hadn't noticed much ballast on the section from the missing bridge to Shillamill so the fact you can now I think indicates just how much has been done.

In terms of timescales, with the end of the consultation period, I believe West Devon BC will agree their final Local Development Framework for submission to the Secretary of State some time during the Autumn.  I think people are expecting that the Secretary of State will order what is called an "Examination in Public" of the Local Development Framework sometime in the Spring with the Inspector's decision, I'm guessing, by the Summer.

If all goes in favour of the Kilbride proposal, and barring anything unforeseen, I would expect that Kilbride would be looking to submit their Transport & Works Act Order application early in 2011.

The key thing is that everything is still moving forward.

Cheers,

Richard

More news from the Tavistock times today:



http://www.tavistock-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=14178&headline=Blueprint for town gets the green light

Looks like matters are slightly behind schedule but now progressing as outlined in Richard's post above.One thing crossed my mind-would a change of government affect the situation? The plans are now going to the Secretary of State for approval,would a SoS of a different political hue look at the plan less favourably? Certainly hope not,if the LibDems have any influence it won't be any different,not sure what the Tories would do.

[woody]

Would not think a change of government would change anything as the ^18.5million cost of the scheme is being met from a levy on the associated 750 housing scheme next to the new Tavistock station and not the public purse.

[34104]

Would not think a change of government would change anything as the ^18.5million cost of the scheme is being met from a levy on the associated 750 housing scheme next to the new Tavistock station and not the public purse.

Thats the element i was really referring to,the building of 750 homes in Tavistock,not so much the funding which ,as you say will come from the Kilbride scheme.If the new government were to put the brakes on new house building for whatever reason,then the scheme could be affected.I guess if the population is going to grow [not to mention all the other reasons for housing needs] and affordable housing has to be built anyway,it wouldn't matter which government was in power,needs must,so lets hope that the election makes no difference.I'm just wary of politicians,really!

[woody]

Latest "Rail" magazine has an article regarding progress on the planned  Tavistock re-opening in 2014,still looks good at the moment.
  According to the "Rail" article the rail link has now been adopted in West Devons core planning strategy transforming it from "desirable" to "essential" infrastucture for the expansion of Tavistock.After six weeks of formal consultation West Devons Strategy will be submitted in July to the new secretary of state.A planning inspector will then conduct an enquiry into the strategy,and the Secretary of state will then decide on the inspectors report in spring 2011.Meanwhile Kilbride Group who are developing the project is starting work on the Transport and Works Act Order application,which hopefully will be submitted around the end of 2011,followed by a further enquiry into this application which should be determined 2012/2013.Finally a 9 month constrution period should see the start of rail services between Plymouth and Tavistock in 2014 if all goes according to plan.I say "If" because the Kilbride Group is funding the railway development by the sale of 750 new homes on the western side of Tavistock on a single site which is strongly opposed by some Tavistock residents.

[Andy]

Thanks for posting this good news. What with this and the plans for Okehampton, we could have 3/4 of a Devon circular railway up and running by 2015. 

[34104]

Could be a snag on the horizon.The new government has issued a letter to councils stating that the housing targets imposed by the previous government are no longer to be regarded as compulsory and that local core strategies can be torn up and housing needs reassessed if the council thinks appropriate.Much has been made of this in the Tavistock Times today,the chairman of WDBC says they would be  happy to look again at housing needs again,the chairman of the planning committee says that they will continue to promote the core strategy proposals in place,which actually seems to be a bit of "not singing from the same hymnsheet" by WDBC.No doubt a lot of discussion will take place in due course,my fear is that if the housing target is reduced to any great degree,then Kilbrides interest in the project may wane correspondingly and we would be back to square one as far as funding the project is concerned.Maybe the Libdems could bring some influence to bear as they have stated,in their election manifesto, that they would have supplied a pot of money for reopening railways should they have been elected.Lets hope that the project is not jeopardised by the change in policy,we shall see.

[grahame]

Could be a snag on the horizon.The new government has issued a letter to councils stating that the housing targets imposed by the previous government are no longer to be regarded as compulsory and that local core strategies can be torn up and housing needs reassessed if the council thinks appropriate ...

Comment in Wiltshire (not Devon / Tavistock) that actually they'll probably only make tiny adjustments - "so much has been put into putting it all together, and it's basically a good strategy ...".   Perhaps the same applies to Devon, or were the extra houses forced onto an unwilling Council in them parts?

[34104]

Could be a snag on the horizon.The new government has issued a letter to councils stating that the housing targets imposed by the previous government are no longer to be regarded as compulsory and that local core strategies can be torn up and housing needs reassessed if the council thinks appropriate ...

Comment in Wiltshire (not Devon / Tavistock) that actually they'll probably only make tiny adjustments - "so much has been put into putting it all together, and it's basically a good strategy ...".   Perhaps the same applies to Devon, or were the extra houses forced onto an unwilling Council in them parts?

Probably no more forced than in Wiltshire,although there has been a lot of public opposition to the plan to build 750 houses,understandably so. Hopefully the WDBC will also ultimately back their own plan,although i understand that one council in Oxfordshire has already torn up their core strategy,so there is a precedence for a U turn.Way to go yet,and i suppose there is always the question of whether the S of S would actually approve the strategy.No doubt the local press will be debating the issue fully in the next few weeks and months,i will post if any developments are forthcoming.

[Andy]

I think there was a significant minority that was opposed to the house-building part but the rail reopening was generally welcomed.  Apart from the fact that the whole plan is area's in the core strategy, the reopening was also specifically mentioned in the Lib Dem manifesto and even the Tories have been more pro-rail of late than I can ever remember. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Public inquiry into Tavistock housing plans

A public inquiry is to take place in Tavistock over plans to build 750 properties.

West Devon Borough Council (WDBC) wants to complete housing targets set by the previous Labour government, including 750 properties in Crowndale Valley.

But some West Devon residents oppose the cluster of properties and are in support of a public inquiry.

The new coalition government said councils no longer had to meet previous targets and could make their own plans.

WDBC Chief Executive, David Incoll, said: "We either plan for the future in a logical way and direct development to what we think are the correct places for it to take place, or we lay ourselves open to developers. We know a lot of developers would like to build residential developments and large supermarkets in the area. And it would be an abdication of responsibility over the next 16 years to have no plan in place."

Plans for Crowndale Valley include new homes, a railway station and a rail line to Plymouth - all to be completed by 2026.

As part of the plans a relief road would also be built, which would run through the farm where Sir Francis Drake was born.

Ann Keelan, of Protect the Tavy Valley, said: "Sir Francis Drake's birthplace is potentially our most important heritage site. But we're not going to have much of an interpreted environment if it's surrounded by a housing estate."

The public inquiry will consider whether the housing levels set for west Devon under Labour are justified and consistent with local and central policy.