Please complete the simple Why this field? consultation survey and help to save the KEVICC Lower Field for the people of Totnes. Thank you!
King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC) - our community college - is selling 14 acres of school playing fields, green space, woods and historic buildings for development.
Among the spaces planned for sale are the top 4 acres of the Lower Field and the much-loved Elmhirst Building (between the A385 and the River Dart). This area currently provides space for KEVICC PE lessons, walkers, picnickers, teenagers, families, sports groups and other townspeople. There is also an all-weather sports arena that is used by many dozens of local sports organisations (young people and adults). The area also provides access to the River Dart, offering a range of further leisure opportunities. The Lower Field was gifted to the people of Totnes by the Elmhirsts (the former owners of the Dartington Estate).
Totnes Town Council (TTC) has submitted a £2.5 million bid to KEVICC to buy the top part of Lower Field to enhance it as a leisure facility for the people of Totnes, KEVICC students and visitors to the town. However, despite the TTC bid being offered at commercial market rates, the school has now placed the Lower Field on the open market, along with the other land. If the Lower Field is not sold to TTC, it will almost certainly be bought by private developers who have no connection with the town and the space will be lost to the community forever. Most likely, this amazing green space will be developed for housing (probably largely unaffordable for local people).
Aside from the loss of the green space, we are also concerned about the additional congestion and pollution directly outside the school that the latter outcome would entail. This stretch of the A385 is already an air quality management area (AQMA). This means that pollution is already dangerous to health. We think that the health of KEVICC students and all young people is paramount!
The Why this field? campaign has been set up by local people in support of the TTC proposal and bid for the Lower Field. In 2021, KEVICC ran a public consultation about these plans. However, we understand that fewer than 100 people responded to this! The Why this field? campaign is now carrying out another – dare we say it, more legitimate – consultation. We hope and expect that this consultation will be completed by thousands of townspeople and people with a connection to the KEVICC Lower Field, young and old, near and far!
Thank you for supporting the consultation!
Follow the campaign on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WhyThisField

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* 1. Where do you live? Please select one response.

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* 2. What connections do you have with the KEVICC Lower Field? Please tick all that apply.

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* 3. To what extent do you agree or disagree?: I support Totnes Town Council’s bid to purchase the Lower Field for the benefit of Totnes.

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* 4. To what extent do you agree or disagree?: I support selling the KEVICC Lower Field to private developers.

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* 5. To what extent do you agree or disagree?: I support selling the other KEVICC land to private developers.

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* 6. If there is anything you would like to add, please use this box

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* 7. If you would like to support the Why This Field? campaign to save the Lower Field for the people of Totnes, please add you email address here, thank you.

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