The Built Environment

Since its formation in 1979, the OVA has worked hard to encourage high standards of architecture and planning in the Otter Valley, and to protect important buildings and their setting. The Built Environment committee reviews local planning applications with this in mind. Where necessary, we express our opinion, strongly but constructively, to the planning authority. And because we have over 1,000 members, they take note. They may not always do what we suggest, but we have our fair share of success.

Our submissions reflect the principles set out in the local Design Statements for Budleigh Salterton and Otterton, both of which were produced after extensive local consultation, and with OVA support. These principles include, for example:

the need to preserve the essential character of existing settlements by ensuring that new developments respect the scale and context of existing building
the need to resist “off the peg” designs which do not refer to local styles and materials.

As well as writing letters about planning applications which, in our opinion, could be improved, we monitor planning decisions. If a decision goes to planning appeal, we follow through with written submissions and, if necessary, give evidence at public hearings. We also monitor and comment on new planning legislation, including the Devon Structure Plan and the East Devon Local Plan.

OVA Design Award

The 3 architects and 2 lay members of the Award Panel, having considered a number of possible candidates, awarded the OVA Design Award at the 2006 AGM to Rolle Barton.

Rolle Barton is a former Mark Rolle farmyard behind the Church in Otterton. Here a number of stone buildings with brick dressing have been sympathetically converted to provide linked houses. Other buildings had been replaced on the original footprint with new construction using the same general forms and materials as the old without being slavish copies. The panel were not able to quite determine where the old stops and the new starts. With raking parapets to echo the old ones, brick corbels to the gables and some splendid carved stone heraldic birds that have been incorporated on both the roofs and at ground level, the conversion is of considerable virtue.

The Panel were particularly impressed with the hard and soft landscaping. Natural stone walls invite you into the entrance and well selected man made setts form a practical and attractive roadway within the courtyard. The planting, now maturing, helps tie the whole scheme into the rural surroundings on the very edge of Otterton and overlooking the river below.

Research Projects

From time to time, research projects are undertaken to highlight significant architectural features of the locality.

One of these led to the publication of the book “Mark Rolle: His Architectural Legacy in the Lower Otter Valley”.

A new project is now in hand to identify buildings and other environmental features suitable for inclusion in a List of Locally Important Buildings as proposed in the East Devon Local Plan, with the view to this eventually being adopted by the local planning authority as supplementary planning guidance.

A start has been made on a pilot project for the village of East Budleigh and if this is successful it could then be extended to cover all the other parishes in the area.