Environmental Impact :: Flood Risk Assessments

The Site and Redevelopment Proposals

2.1 Site Location

The subject site is situated to the east of Seaton on the western banks of the River Axe. The National Grid Reference for the site is 324960 090140. A location plan for the site is shown in Appendix A.

The Regeneration Area site covers an area of approximately 18 hectares and is flat and roughly rectangular in shape; the Application Area site within the Regeneration Area site covers an area of approximately 15 hectares.

2.2 Site Description

The subject site is situated to the east of Seaton town centre. The majority of the site is occupied by Lyme Bay Holiday Village. The Holiday Village is divided into two sections by a wooden fence. The larger area to the west is disused, and comprises a network of narrow tree-lined paved roads linking the paved hard standings upon which former static caravans stood together with areas of grass, an entertainment centre, a number of fixed (derelict) timber chalets, a boiler house, disused open air swimming pool and a disused LPG gas compound. The area to the east is currently an active holiday village with three large multifunctional buildings (coffee shops, restaurants, leisure facilities etc) bounded to the north by detached holiday villas.

To the east of the Holiday Park, adjacent to the River Axe, are six parcels of privately owned land, as listed below: -

* pumping station owned by South West Water;

* various light industrial uses owned by David John Dommett and Mary Dommett;

* workshops owned by East Devon District Council;

* builders’ merchant owned by Bradford Building Supplies Ltd;

* former electronic engineering works owned by Axe Riverside Ltd;

* riverside rail tramway on a raised embankment (which serves as an unofficial de facto tidal flood defence);

* situated adjacent (east) of the site is the tidal reach of the River Axe which runs to north to south and discharges into Seaton Bay. To the south of the site the topography rises in level and is occupied by a primary residential area including the ‘Esplanade’, which fronts onto Seaton Beach. To the north of the site is situated and area of low lying marsh land, which is protected from the tidal River Axe by the rail tramway embankment. The marshes are tide-locked at high tide, drainage being through a number of ditch outfalls into the River Axe fitted with flap valves.

2.3 Redevelopment Proposals

The Regeneration Area site has a number of different existing uses.

It is proposed to redevelop the area in two elements, the first being a “stand alone” site (the ‘Application Site’) to be developed for residential housing and flats with a foodstore, new visitor centre, some additional shops and some other uses, and the second being an extension to this alongside the River Axe, to be developed as riverside residential development, some employment uses, a hotel and public house.