A sustainable proposal for the factory site

The present site consists of a disused water mill (which is listed), and the old factory buildings. These buildings include a large building five storeys high (also listed), and a number of one storey warehouse type buildings. The large building is approximately 47 metres in length by 13 metres in width. The whole site measures approximately as 201 metres frontage by 84 metres on the mill side by 229 metres along the riverside footpath (but note that the path does not follow a straight route). The river Otter is on one side, and on the other is the mill leat. There is an access road running between the old mill and the factory which leads to the Tumbling Weir hotel and its car-park.

The shell of the large building will have to be retained. It may be that demolition of the warehouses and the inside of the large building will involve the removal/disposal of asbestos, and there may be oil pollution to deal with too. The tumbling weir is working, but the mill wheels have gone. A feasibility study was done by Devon Association for Renewable Energy in 2006, which concluded that there was “an excellent opportunity to develop hydropower at a realistic cost”.

The proposal by Sustainable Ottery is for a mixed use site on sustainable principles, and geared to promoting a local economy for the Ottery St Mary district, and renewable energy self-sufficiency from a local grid, together with some provision of affordable housing, and some local amenities.

In detail we plan the following:

a wholesale centre for local foodwaste recycling facilitieshydro-electric facility at the water millenergy services company to promote and provide locally sourced renewable energy together with a

  local grid

training centre for crafts and skills that increase self-sufficiencystarter units for local small businessespremises for a museumaffordable housing as various-sized apartments

February 2008