The protection of Teignbridge’s heritage is at the heart of new Character Appraisals and proposals to revise the boundaries of local conservation areas in Newton Abbot.

Local people are being asked to give their view on the proposals made as part of recent Conservation Area Character Appraisals in the area, which would affect much of the town centre, Forde Park, Wolborough Hill, Devon Square and Courtenay Park, all of which have proposed Conservation Area Boundary Revisions.

Views are being sought until the 19th January, with plans available at Teignbridge Council offices, local libraries, and online by visiting www.teignbridge.gov.uk/caa-consultation. The proposals are then scheduled to go to Teignbridge’s Executive meeting on 8th March where a decision should be made.

The Conservation Area Character Appraisals assess and describe the qualities of the historic environment and put forward proposals for Conservation Area Boundary Revisions and management action to help improve the Conservation Area. If approved the boundary revision for Newton Abbot Town centre will be large, encompassing the medieval core of Newton Abbot and some of its 19th century expansion. If adopted, the extended Conservation Area will help promote the regeneration of the area, through good design and conservation of its built heritage, and being considered as part of the formal planning process for new developments.

Cllr Mike Haines, Teignbridge Executive Spokesperson for Strategic Planning said:

“There is always a fine balance to be found when considering new developments, as we must also be sure to preserve some of our area’s most valued historical features and landmarks. By revising the boundaries of the areas we feel should be given extra consideration, we can be sure that any new development best suits the area and respects its past.

“We’re really keen to hear the views of local people as part of this process. It’s their town, and this is a real chance to have your say on how it should be preserved and protected in years to come.”

•    Mid Devon Connect pilot event held in Sandford
•    More events coming in 2010

Mid Devon District Council and a number of partner agencies visited Sandford earlier this month to bring services to residents.

The event, called Mid Devon Connect, was piloted in the village hall on Tuesday 1 December between 2 and 6pm. Local residents were invited to attend and were welcomed with tea and scones! Exhibitors included Involve, the Police, Devon Link, Sandford Primary School, Crediton Community Transport, Job Centre Plus, Upstream and a number of Council services – such as recycling, housing and benefits.

Mid Devon Connect is based on a scheme which is successfully running in other areas across Devon. The scheme promotes multi agencies working together to deliver services at a local level, providing rural areas with access to our services.

Amy Gratton, Consultation and Youth Involvement Officer, said “The Council is keen to run more events across the district targeting rural areas, as residents tell us that access to services is an issue. We hope to be able to resolve most problems there and then, or for the ones we can’t, refer residents to the relevant service to deal with it. At the Sandford event 40 successful outcomes were recorded and residents were very supportive of what we were trying to achieve. In future months the Council will be asking residents what information they would expect to receive and we will be piloting the scheme in different areas across Mid Devon”.

Anyone organising an event that Mid Devon Connect could attend or if you would like more information about the scheme, please contact Amy Gratton agratton@middevon.gov.uk or 01884 234276.

Torbay’s Mayoral Vision project has been commended in the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) South West Planning Achievement Awards 2009.

The 66 page document and accompanying virtual walk-through film, which details ambitious plans for regenerating the Bay, was commended in the category ‘Other Planning Work’.

Torbay Council, its regenerative arm the Torbay Development Agency (TDA), and LDA Design, who were appointed to produce the vision, put together the submission for the RTPI Awards.

The awards celebrate the planning profession’s contribution to the quality of life and recognise the diversity of planning achievement. They recognise innovative plans, processes, techniques, programmes of community involvement and improvements to public services.

The judges noted that many ‘Visions’ were unrealistic and had subsequently gathered dust on shelves with little or no relationship with the planning process. They were pleased the Torbay’s Mayoral Vision processes were well integrated and that the public involvement in the  regeneration programme’s development continues to be beneficial in the preparation of the Local Development Framework.

This is the second award the Mayor’s Vision has received. It also scooped a national award at the prestigious 2008 Landscape Institute Awards by winning the Communication category.

Torbay’s Mayor, Nick Bye said: “This is a great achievement, reflecting the hard work and commitment that went into the vision.

“The projects laid out in the document and film have become an inspiration for many people in Torbay as well as potential investors and this latest award has helped to showcase Torbay’s vision on a national platform.”

Cabinet Member Councillor Chris Lewis added:  “This is fantastic news and combined with last year’s national award, helps to raise the profile of our efforts for regeneration.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank LDA Design of Exeter for their hard work and commitment and their ability to transform our vision into something that our residents, businesses and potential investors can visualise and really believe in.”

Bernie Foulkes, partner at LDA Design said: “The Mayoral Vision is a very ambitious regeneration initiative for Torbay. Its success ultimately relies on its ability to connect with the Torbay public and with investors and developers in the Bay and from further afield.

“This award recognises the effort made by everyone involved in the vision. We believe that communicating the vision in the right way will bring much needed regeneration to Torbay.”

A framed certificate, recognising this success, will be presented to representatives from Torbay Council at the award ceremony in Bristol on Wednesday 20 January 2010.

Experts in mysticism and myth from the University of Exeter are involved in new research that explores storytelling and the ghostly spiritual world.  The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded project will focus on why Cornwall and other ‘Celtic’ places like Wales and Scotland are felt to be more mystical and mythologised compared to the rest of Britain.

In the 1800s authors William Bottrell and Robert Hunt collated Cornish folktales such as ‘Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall’ published in 1870 & 1873 and ‘Stories and Folk-Lore of West Cornwall’ in 1880 adding to the focus on Cornwall’s unusual relationship between past, present and place.  Volumes of their work on folktales are housed in the Cornwall Centre.

As part of the AHRC project ‘Mysticism, Myth and Celtic Nationalism’ there is a conference in 2010 exploring the issues.  University of Exeter experts based at the Tremough Campus in Penryn are keen to encourage participation and contributions from people in Cornwall who are involved or interested in Cornwall as a mythical and mystical place.  Dr Marion Gibson explained the call for film makers, exhibitors and all those who have a story to tell of things that go bump in the night.  She said, “We are carrying out interviews with people who either live in Cornwall or are visitors, and asking them to tell us about mystical Cornwall. The conference will also feature an exhibition of artwork and photos on the theme. People who are interested in contributing should contract Shelley Trower, our project researcher”.

Common tales include that of Jan Tregeagle whose spirit is said to rage on cold dark nights when his ghostly wails can be heard along the rugged coasts and across the bleak moors; as a man whose wealth was gained by evil measures he was doomed to a life in purgatory. He was also chased by demons and managed to escape and find sanctuary in a little chapel on Roche Rock near St Austell.  Mystic goings on are also retold that include the haunting of Jenkin Keigwin who died defending the village of Mousehole from Spanish invaders.  In one of Conan Doyle’s stories Sherlock Holmes even visited Cornwall to investigate the mythical power and strange events surrounding the standing stones on the moors which also feature in modern day PC games such as Barrow Hill.

To find out more about contributing or attending the conference in July 2010 please contact Shelley Trower from the University of Exeter at s.j.trower@exeter.ac.uk
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The £100 million Tremough Campus is a Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative ­of which the University of Exeter and University College Falmouth are two of the founding partners. It is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council. Set in 70 acres of countryside, but close to the waterside towns of Penryn and Falmouth, the campus offers a lively student community. The University of Exeter now offers degrees in Biology, Modern Celtic and Cornish Studies, English, Geology, Geography, History, Law, Mining Engineering, Politics and Renewable Energy on its Tremough Campus, which has expanded rapidly as part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative.

Devon’s folk and community arts development charity Wren Music presents a fundraising concert of winter folk songs and music from England and around the world, on Thursday 17th December, at the Palace Theatre Arena, Palace Avenue, Paignton, Devon TQ3 3HF. The concert features the Folk Orchestra Of Torbay and Torbay Folk Choir.

The concert starts at 7.30pm, and entrance is by donation. There will be mince pies and light refreshments available, and a selection of folk music CDs and books will be on sale too.

The Folk Orchestra Of Torbay was established two years ago in response to requests from musicians and aspiring musicians in South Devon who had been inspired by the success of two other Wren projects: East Devon’s Rough Music and the Folk Orchestra of North Devon, both of which perform in concerts and festivals, at dances, and other events. Since then, FOOT has been meeting weekly during term times on Thursday evenings at the Palace Theatre in Paignton, to learn and play traditional tunes from South West England and beyond, under the direction of award-winning bagpiper David Faulkner from Wren Music.

David is delighted with the progress the orchestra has made over the past year, “It is wonderful that such a large group of people have devoted themselves to playing together, and I am really looking forward to the concert on Thursday. Many of the members do not read music, so we learn new tunes primarily by ear, although written scores are provided for those who want them. Our weekly sessions are designed for people of all ages over fourteen. There are no auditions, and no prior experience of playing folk music is necessary – just a desire to have fun playing music with other people. Some people come along every week, others less often, and we are always ready to welcome new members – the next term starts on Thursday 14th January.”

The Torbay Folk Choir was started even more recently, in September 2008, meeting weekly at Goodrington Methodist Church on Tuesday evenings. Traditional songs are at the heart of their repertoire, and local material is mixed with world music as well as newly written pieces. In contrast to most choirs, the TFC does not work within the classical format of soprano, alto, tenor and bass, and does not expect people to read music. It works instead with people’s natural voices, and learning by ear, enabling all to take part, whatever their pitch range or musical training. The choir is directed by one of the rising stars of the new Devon folk generation, Matt Norman from Wren Music, who is now gaining a national reputation as a performer in his own right. The next term of Torbay Folk Choir rehearsals starts on Tuesday 12th January.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit Wren Music’s year-round programme of music development activities in communities and schools throughout Devon and beyond, involving over 30,000 participants of all ages each year. Since its establishment over twenty-five years ago by Marilyn Tucker and Paul Wilson, it has worked with almost half a million people.

Further information on the work of Wren Music, as well as the charity’s full programme of adult and youth choirs and orchestras throughout Devon can be found at: www.wrenmusic.co.uk or by telephoning 01837 53754.

Professor David Horrell, a Biblical scholar at the University of Exeter, has recently completed a project that looked critically at the kinds of environmental and ecological appeals made to the Bible.

The project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), looked at both the negative and positive appeals to the Bible.  This ranged from those that see the Bible as a text that teaches human pre-eminence and imminent destruction for the earth to those that see the Bible as a “green” book that teaches stewardship and care for the Earth.

Many theological responses to the environmental crisis argue that part of the solution towards finding ways for a sustainable future lies with people’s values and attitudes on the level of their “worldview”, thereby making it a religious issue.  For many centuries, the Bible was taken to support the view that humanity had a unique position and role, to ‘subdue’ nature and use it to serve human ends.

Professor Horrell said, ‘The Bible is regarded by many as the word of God, which is why it is so influential. Religion not only shapes people’s spiritual beliefs, but their practical, political, and economic behaviour too.’

He added, ‘The project is also trying to show ways the Bible can help to re-shape the Christian tradition in a way that takes the environmental challenge on board.  The biblical text can play a role but only if we are honest and fully aware of how we go about constructing the meaning of the Bible.’

The project presents a new way that the Bible can function within church circles today.  The environmental agenda can be supported with constructive interpretation of the Bible.

According to Professor Horrell, in some evangelical circles times of suffering and woe, famines, earthquakes, even global warming are seen as signs of the impending End when the earth will be destroyed. He said, ‘Some Christians are more concerned with saving souls than the earth, and insist that the End should not be feared or prevented.  Environmentalism is sometimes lumped together with ‘new age paganism’ and see as running counter to this Christian message.  Other ‘Green’ evangelicals, by contrast, insist that humans are called to be stewards of creation, not its exploiters, and that God will transform and redeem the earth, not destroy it.’

The research shows that both sides of the debate tend to present their views as what the Bible “says”, ignoring the extent to which all such views are interpretations, shaped by the convictions and interests of their proponents.  Professor Horrell’s project calls for a more honest approach to acknowledge that these are constructive interpretations.  He said, ‘The challenge to members of all religions, not just Christians, is to show how their scriptures, and traditions can be reinterpreted, reconfigured, to face the challenges of a contemporary crisis.’

A new study may explain why England keeps losing in penalty shootouts – and could help the team address the problem in time for the World Cup 2010. Research by the University of Exeter shows for the first time the effect of anxiety on a footballer’s eye movements while taking a penalty

The study shows that when penalty takers are anxious they are more likely to look at and focus on the centrally positioned goalkeeper. Due to the tight coordination between gaze control and motor control, shots also tend to centralise, making them easier to save. The research is now published in the December 2009 edition of the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology.

The researchers attribute this change in eye movements and focus to anxiety. Author Greg Wood of the University of Exeter’s School of Sport and Health Sciences said: “During a highly stressful situation, we are more likely to be distracted by any threatening stimuli and focus on them, rather than the task in hand. Therefore, in a stressful penalty shootout, a footballer’s attention is likely to be directed towards the goalkeeper as opposed to the optimal scoring zones (just inside the post). This disrupts the aiming of the shot and increases the likelihood of subsequently hitting the shot towards the goalkeeper, making it easier to save.”

For their study, the researchers focused on 14 members of the University of Exeter football team. They asked the players to perform two series of penalty shots. First, they were simply asked to do their best to score. The researchers made the second series more stressful and more akin to a penalty shoot-out. The players were told that the results would be recorded and shared with the other players and there would be a £50 prize for the best penalty taker.

The players wore special glasses which enabled the researchers to record precise eye movements and analyse the focus of each footballer’s gaze and the amount of time spent looking at different locations in the goal.

The results showed that when anxious, the footballers looked at the goalkeeper significantly earlier and for longer. This change in eye behaviour made players more likely to shoot towards the centre of the goal, making it easier for the keeper to save. The researchers believe that by being made aware of the impact of anxiety on eye movements, and the affect this has on the accuracy of a player’s shot, coaches could address this through training.

Greg Wood continues: “Research shows that the optimum strategy for penalty takers to use is to pick a spot and shoot to it, ignoring the goalkeeper in the process. Training this strategy is likely to build on the tight coordination between eye movements and subsequent actions, making for more accurate shooting. The idea that you cannot recreate the anxiety a penalty taker feels during a shootout is no excuse for not practicing. Do you think other elite performers don’t practice basic aiming shots in darts, snooker or golf for the same reasons? These skills need to be ingrained so they are robust under pressure”.