Latest news with #WestDevonBoroughCouncil
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
West Devon Borough Council urged to pay more for churchyards
A councillor has said more money should be spent on maintaining closed churchyards because they are below the standard expected by Tavy councillor Robert Oxborough has told West Devon Borough Council the village's church council was "dissatisfied" with the condition of the closed churchyard at the parish church, St said the borough council's budget for ground maintenance was "relatively low" and the feeling was more should be allocated to it, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Tavy Parochial Church Council has declined to comment. The borough council has a statutory duty to look after churchyards which are closed to any new Mary Tavy the closed churchyard surrounds the church and main entrance path and the new burial area further away is maintained by the parish said he thought the council was "doing the bare minimum" and suggested some of the authority's annual surplus could be used to pay for councillors said there was not much movement in the council's reserves each year which stood at £ were told the total included grants for capital projects and there would be movement over the next two to three years.A spokesperson for Mary Tavy Parish Council said churches could ask a parish council to take on responsibility for a closed churchyard but if it declined, responsibility was passed to the district council as part of a legal process.
The Sun
22-06-2025
- The Sun
English town's war over ‘Berlin Wall 2' takes ANOTHER twist after 6ft concrete barrier ‘cut off' locals
AN ENGLISH town's war over "Berlin Wall 2" has taken another twist after the 6ft concrete barrier has now been "cut off" to locals. The towering wall built between the Kendalls Lane estates in Okehampton, Devon, had left residents stunned by its imposing presence. 2 2 The 6ft wall had cut off a walking route used by locals to get their children to the primary school. One resident revealed that the wall prevented her husband from getting through, as he uses a mobility scooter. However, tensions between locals and the council have reached new heights after a mystery resident rented a JCB digger and smashed a hole in the wall. This came as welcome news to residents, with the gap wide enough for pushchairs and mobility scooters to pass through. However, earlier this month, there were reports that the owners had allegedly dismantled the wall and scattered the bricks across the path to block access. A tall fence was also installed around the dismantled wall to block access once again. Councillor George Dexter, of West Devon Borough Council, North Ward, told DevonLive: "This was done (on June 11) without warning after the children from the estate had gone to school, so they have to make a long detour to go home. "I was told that St James' school had to inform the parents to allow them to leave early." The councillor previously explained that the issue with the narrow strip of land is that it sits on a ransom strip connected to nearby privately owned land. This means using the road as a path is technically trespassing. Cllr Caroline Mott, West Devon's Borough Council's Lead Member for Planning & Built Environment, revealed that the "work carried out, happened on the day of the Temporary Stop Notice, which prevents such work, expired". And that they were "now considering the implications for further Planning Enforcement action". Residents had compared the structure to the infamous Berlin Wall, which fell with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The structure was even covered in graffiti reading " Berlin Wall Mk 2", prompting the council to issue an Enforcement Notice last month, warning the owner to remove it or face action. "I thought Trump was only building walls in America!" one local wrote online. Other residents said it changed the feel of the area, with some joking that "watchtowers" would be added next. West Devon Borough issued an Enforcement Notice ordering the removal of the unauthorised structure between the two housing estates. The landowner appealed, but the council told the Planning Inspectorate that the 6ft wall should be demolished. And a furious mum-of-two says she is being 'treated like a criminal' after 'stuck up' neighbours complained about a double-decker bus parked on her drive.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- BBC News
Anti-social behaviour crackdown across Tavistock and Okehampton
An order to tackle alcohol related anti-social behaviour has been introduced in two Devon and Cornwall Police said Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) had been introduced at Okehampton and Tavistock by West Devon Borough force said the orders allowed officers to disperse people causing a nuisance or disorder, and would also give them the power to remove alcohol from people drinking on the Thomas Ottley, neighbourhood policing sergeant for west Devon, said anti-social behaviour was an "outstanding issue" for the community. An 'outstanding issue' The force said there had been 104 anti-social behaviour incidents in Tavistock between April 2023 and March 2024, 66 fewer than between April 2019 and March Ottley said previous PSPOs, which only covered The Meadows, drove drinking and anti-social behaviour further into the town."We conducted some consultation with the public, last summer we put out lots of surveys asking what issues were impacting them, where they lived, where they worked," he said."Anti-social behaviour was by far the outstanding issue for everyone." He said the new order was town-wide and would enable officers to be consistent in tackling anti-social behaviour."Street drinking was an issue, we targeted the individuals that were perpetrating that," he said,"This is a preventative measure, this isn't in response to a wave of crime."This is a generalised response to what people in the community are concerned about, and future-proofing and keeping it a nice town, and Okehampton of course."
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Town at war over 'Berlin Wall MK2' built to block access to a walking route after Google Maps blunder... as furious local knocks it down with a JCB
A mysterious local has took matters into their own hands to tear down a town's controversial wall, dubbed 'The Berlin Wall Mk 2', with a rented JCB. The concrete blocks on Kellands Lane in Okehampton, Devon, had been put up to block a popular walking route which families used to get to school. It was built between two housing estates which developers said was private land, warning those who passed through were 'trespassing'. A local erected the wall after Google Maps blunder had begun directing pedestrians to pass through the road as a walking route. The wall became unpopular with locals and graffiti had appeared on it, calling it 'The Berlin Wall Mk 2'. Officials at West Devon Borough Council issued a 'Temporary Stop Notice' on April 17 to prevent further works from happening. An Enforcement Notice was then made on April 25 officials were set to tear the wall down if it was not removed by May 27. However the wall was destroyed prematurely, when an unknown local rented a JCB to breach the structure. Locals rejoiced at its removal, with the path now open again for pedestrians to pass through. Dana Green, 40, said: 'Nobody knew why it was put up. I moved here seven years ago and there was a hedge which died. 'Then they put up this huge wall and the kids have been crawling underneath the gaps. It's really dangerous.' Roy Hopkinson lives right next to the hated wall. 'It's been mental', he concedes, 'I don't know why they've put it there. 'It does look like the Berlin Wall, It made the neighbourhood a lot quieter, people were joking that there would soon be watchtowers installed. 'Everyone was grateful to the person that knocked it down.' One local posted on Facebook when the wall went up: ''I thought Trump was only building walls in America!' 'My husband can't get through it as he uses a mobility scooter' said Verity Warren, 'I can't believe they just whacked it up. It used to be a load of dirt but then they made a new path when the school was opened. Residents rejoiced, saying they were 'grateful to the person that knocked it down' 'Nothing happens for ages and then there's a bloody great wall built. 'Why didn't they just put some bollards down!' Keith Monnax told MailOnline he had originally made the path through the mud. He said: 'I saw them putting the wall up and thought it was a bit harsh. But then they came and knocked it down anyway. 'What happens now? It's petty and all about land, but nobody knows where it will go from here.' Councillor Caroline Mott, Lead Member for Planning and the Built Environment at West Devon Borough Council, told Devon Live: 'The Council has taken action to have the structure removed and hope the inconvenience to the community will be resolved as a matter of urgency.' Councillor George Dexter said the problem is the land is located on a 'ransom strip' from a nearby stretch of privately owned land. Therefore any use of the road as a thoroughfare is technically trespassing. He explained: 'There used to be a hedge here, but families would just walk around it and in the intervening years the estates have sprung up around it. 'A few weeks ago this wall suddenly appeared and everyone was confused. It cuts off everybody here. 'Last week a resident took things into his own hands and soon after the council issued an enforcement notice.' A spokesman for Leander Developments said: 'The land in question is under private ownership, and there is no public right of way across this land - this isn't a question of inconvenience to the public, as anyone who crosses this land is committing trespass. 'To date, we have received a stop notice, but not an enforcement notice. 'The recently erected temporary structure, on our land, was done for public safety and insurance purposes as Google Maps has started to show a right of way across this private land. 'Our insurance requires us to take reasonable steps to prevent trespass, and Google now showing this as a right of way could invalidate our insurance, unless we can demonstrate that we have taken positive steps to prevent illegal entry onto our land. 'On Thursday 17th April, a member of the public, with a digger, caused criminal damage by driving through this temporary structure. This has been filed with the police who have raised a crime number. 'We would recommend members of the public stay away from this structure as we cannot guarantee its integrity following this attack, and the stop notice served by the Council prevents us from undertaking any remedial work. 'To safeguard our insurance, we considered it our right under permitted developments to erect a temporary structure, and it is disappointing that Council is taking measures which allow trespassing to continue, despite making them aware that this was for insurance purposes. 'On 6th January 2023 (nearly two and a half years ago) we had a meeting, on site, with two Directors of the Council, the local member, and the then Leader of the Council to discuss a long-term solution to complete the Kellands Lane connection. 'After the meeting, no further action was taken by West Devon Borough Council. We remain willing to work towards a long-term solution to complete the road connection, but West Devon Borough Council do need to engage with us to enable this to happen.'
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The Great Wall of Devon! Inside landowner's battle with neighbours and council after building six foot concrete barrier to block locals
Frustrated parents and locals living next to an eyesore 2-meter concrete barrier have likened it to 'The Berlin Wall' and expressed delight that it was knocked down by a mysterious have-a-go hero in a rented JCB. The structure, which was hastily and mysteriously erected over the Easter holidays, completely cut off a walking route used by residents to get their children to St James Primary School in Oklehampton, Devon. West Devon Borough Council have now issued an enforcement notice ordering Leander Developments to remove the unauthorised structure dubbed by locals as the 'Berlin Wall' between the two housing estates in Kellands Lane. However, residents fear that should the decision be appealed, the wall could be built again prompting mad speculation as to the intentions of the landowners. When MailOnline visited the estate this week half of the wall had been demolished, with blocks lying scattered on the ground. Councillor George Dexter revealed that the problem with the thin stretch of land is that it is located on a ransom strip from a nearby stretch of privately owned land. Therefore any use of the road as a thoroughfare is technically trespassing. He explained: 'There used to be a hedge here, but families would just walk around it and in the intervening years the estates have sprung up around it. 'A few weeks ago this wall suddenly appeared and everyone was confused. It cuts off everybody here. 'Last week a resident took things into his own hands and soon after the council issued an enforcement notice.' An enforcement notice is used when development is carried out without the necessary planning permission. The notice tells the person receiving it what they have done wrong, what must be done to put it right and the timescale within which that must be done. There is a right of appeal against enforcement notices and locals fear this could be enacted. George continued: 'It's a big deal for these people. Why have they done it? Locals think its down to proposed developments in the field next door to it. 'They think the developers are using their ownership of the ransom strip to get a better deal with their application.' Naturally, the community has been staunchly against the new wall. 'Nobody knew why it was put up', says Dana Green, 40, 'I moved here seven years ago and there was a hedge which died. 'Then they put up this huge wall and the kids have been crawling underneath the gaps. 'It's really dangerous.' Roy Hopkinson lives right next to the hated wall. 'It's been mental', he concedes, 'I don't know why they've put it there. 'It does look like the Berlin Wall, It made the neighbourhood a lot quieter, people were joking that there would soon be watchtowers installed. 'Everyone was grateful to the person that knocked it down.' 'My husband can't get through it as she uses a mobility scooter' said Verity Warren, 'I can't believe they just whacked it up. It used to be a load of dirt but then they made a new path when the school was opened. 'Nothing happens for ages and then there's a bloody great wall built. 'Why didn't they just put some bollards down!' Keith Monnax told MailOnline he had originally made the path through the mud. He said: 'I saw them putting the wall up and thought it was a bit harsh. But then they came and knocked it down anyway. 'What happens now? It's petty and all about land, but nobody knows where it will go from here.' A spokesman for Leander Developments said: 'The land in question is under private ownership, and there is no public right of way across this land - this isn't a question of inconvenience to the public, as anyone who crosses this land is committing trespass. 'To date, we have received a stop notice, but not an enforcement notice. 'The recently erected temporary structure, on our land, was done for public safety and insurance purposes as Google Maps has started to show a right of way across this private land. 'Our insurance requires us to take reasonable steps to prevent trespass, and Google now showing this as a right of way could invalidate our insurance, unless we can demonstrate that we have taken positive steps to prevent illegal entry onto our land. 'On Thursday 17th April, a member of the public, with a digger, caused criminal damage by driving through this temporary structure. This has been filed with the police who have raised a crime number. 'We would recommend members of the public stay away from this structure as we cannot guarantee its integrity following this attack, and the stop notice served by the Council prevents us from undertaking any remedial work. 'To safeguard our insurance, we considered it our right under permitted developments to erect a temporary structure, and it is disappointing that Council is taking measures which allow trespassing to continue, despite making them aware that this was for insurance purposes. 'On 6th January 2023 (nearly two and a half years ago) we had a meeting, on site, with two Directors of the Council, the local member, and the then Leader of the Council to discuss a long-term solution to complete the Kellands Lane connection. 'After the meeting, no further action was taken by West Devon Borough Council. We remain willing to work towards a long-term solution to complete the road connection, but West Devon Borough Council do need to engage with us to enable this to happen.'
