Nothing. The Town Council will obtain a loan from government at extremely low rates (available only to public service organisations) and can buy the space outright. This loan would be repaid over a long period from funds that are generated from the space itself such as parking, rents, and hire.
Not necessarily. Though the space looks perfect for building immediately, the land has to be prepared, drained, services installed etc. That’s expensive and will affect how much a developer will be prepared to pay. The Town Council have offered Full Market Value for the space.
The land is held by the Dart Valley Learning Trust (who are responsible for all the school assets). It was established when the school became a co-operative trust school in 2011 in order to allow the community (all of whom were eligible to join as members) to participate and have a say in the running of the school. . Recently the Trust appears to have become more opaque with not all members included and advised of decisions made by the people who are disposing of the land (the chair of governors, headmaster, business director etc).
From the outside, it seems that D.V.L.T. are more concerned with selling the assets than guiding the learning at Kevicc.
Yes. But it has since been transferred to Dart Valley Learning Trust.
There are lots of great ideas and a lot of interest from people for how they would use some of the space. For example, sport, recreation, a town park, a river cafe, an arts, community and education centre in the Elmhirst buildings and so on. But ultimately it would be up to the community to decide and it’s not for the Town Council to impose, so there would be period of public consultation.
Totnes Town Council are a government body and they can borrow money at extremely preferential rates, via a Public Works Loan Board loan. Situations like this are exactly what the Public Works Loan Board was set up to do.
The payments could be made from the existing number of parking spaces on the site. Ongoing, other revenue streams will be developed, (following the the public consultation). Professional viability studies have already demonstrated conclusively that this is possible.
The town council is bidding for 4 acres of the Lower School site (the top part of the field plus the Elmhirst buildings). The school is selling an additional 10 acres, on which they can easily raise the remainder.
They are legally obligated to get “Best value” for the site. This is not just monetary value.
Other value factors (community benefit, environment/ pollution issues etc) must be also taken into consideration.
Of course we want them to.
The council are bidding on 4 acres of the 14 acres and they are offering full value (after an independent valuation for land with permitted development). 130 houses (the maximum permitted by South Hams District Council for the Kevicc land) can still be built on the other areas that are for sale by Kevicc.
Yes, as a country we do, but we need the right kind of housing. The housing crisis is because young people and low income families can’t find places they can afford to live in. This space will hardly be used for social & affordable by developers due to its location. These would be at the higher end of affordability. In addition, the council’s purchase of the lower school site, would not effect the number of houses built as there is only permission to build 130 – and these could fit on the remainder of the land that is for sale – Also, Totnes is already oversubscribed with new developments within the Joint Local Plan.
Yes – the field is often to wet to use for school sports.
Fill in the survey, sign the petition, write to the school Governors. You could even join the Dart Valley Learning Trust as a member.