The construction industry’s recovery from the coronavirus crisis continues with plans for a 100-home development in Devon set for approval.
Housebuilder Bloor Homes has submitted plans for a housing scheme at Collaton St Mary, near Paignton. A masterplan for the area, agreed in 2016, has already earmarked the area as being able to take 460 homes.
The Bloor Homes plan would cover 44 acres of mostly fields north of the A385 Totnes Road, and alongside the A380 King’s Ash Road. Homes would go on 10 acres, with the rest of the site split between public open space and farming. An outline planning application for the site includes a new access road from Totnes Road, with a light-controlled crossing.
A 45-page report to a meeting of Torbay Council’s planning committee – meeting on Monday, June 8 - recommends approval subject conditions and a legal agreement on payments by the developer.
It said there have been 79 objections and three letters of support, and examines the issues surrounding the application. The report said key concerns about flooding and the impact on protected greater horseshoe bats have been resolved to the satisfaction of statutory consultees, and the highway authority does not object to the access or impact on the road network.
The report said: “The site is broadly identified for housing within the Development Plan and the proposal does appear to be fairly consistent with the associated adopted Masterplan for the area and would deliver much needed housing.
“The proposal is ultimately considered a good use of an identified site that would provide much needed housing to help meet local need.”
It proposes a legal agreement for payments including for highways improvements, education, and sustainable transport, and to provide 30 affordable homes.
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It also proposes an agreement on measures to support rare greater horseshoe bats, and a payment for a habitat for cirl buntings, a rare finch-like bird now found mainly on farmland in South Devon.
The report says that Torbay Council currently cannot show it has a five-year housing land supply as sought by the Government, which triggers national planning rules that “decisions should apply a presumption in favour of sustainable development”. That means “approving development proposals that accord with an up-to-date development plan without delay".
The report said that applies to the Bloor Homes scheme which is “in broad accordance” with the masterplan for the area.
But villagers and others are objecting because of the impact on traffic and public services as well as damage to wildlife including the rare bats. They oppose building on farmland and say the scheme conflicts with local planning policies.
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Concerns have been raised about the capacity of the local sewers and drainage system to cope with the new homes. Objectors also say the overall new homes target set for Torbay is too high, and not justified by the level of jobs growth.
Elsewhere in the village, in September 2019 the council planning committee approved a new access at Little Blagdon Farm to open up land it owns south of Totnes Road with potential for 350 homes.
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The following month the committee refused a scheme from Taylor Wimpey for up to 73 homes in the “car boot field” next to the village school and church. A new outline application for the development was submitted in April.
Further along Totnes Road an application has gone in for up to 70 homes at the site of the disused Torbay Motel and Beechdown Court apartments, which would be demolished.