Press Release
June 2010
Urban Extension, Newton Abbot, Devon
Despite the current turmoil in the planning of major developments due to the Secretary of State’s intention to revoke Regional Spatial Strategies, Hives Planning Ltd has achieved a resolution to grant planning permission (21 June 2010) from Teignbridge District Council for a mixed use urban extension to Newton Abbot in Devon. The development includes up to 740 new homes on two sites, a 3ha employment site, a country park plus other open space, two major road schemes and a park and change facility.
This is the culmination of extensive working with the District and County Councils and the Environment Agency. The new permissions are in addition to permissions for a new hospital (2006) and other development (granted on appeal also in 2006) for housing, employment, new roads and the relocation of the rugby club on other sites in the vicinity. Most of the land has been or will eventually be worked for ball clay extraction, and the issue of sterilisation of deposits has had to be overcome.
The original Core Strategy was found unsound in 2007 and the District Council has since been exploring options for a way forward, although the next stage of a revised Core Strategy is still some way off.
A planning appeal on one of the residential sites was dismissed in 2008 because of lack of an adequate viability assessment to justify the level of affordable housing, and some minor shortfalls in education contributions. Both matters have now been satisfactorily addressed and resolved.
The grant of planning permission now is a pragmatic decision which will deliver much needed housing, including affordable housing, and the other benefits which include improved flood relief measures for the town.
Hives Planning have managed the project, on behalf of clients Sibelco UK and promoters Arnold White Estates, with the involvement of a team of specialist consultants. Geoff Gardner of Hives said that “this is a very positive outcome to a complicated scheme and demonstrates that even in difficult economic times, and with other uncertainties, the Authority has acted to ensure that much needed development can be delivered”. Gary Stringer, of Sibelco, said “the Company thank the team for their hard work in achieving this result”.
Hives Planning are lead consultants for urban extensions to other towns in the South-East and Eastern Regions and will put the experience in Newton Abbot to the test in those cases.
Although there is the opportunity for the Secretary of State to ‘call-in’ the applications (being departures from the 1996 Local Plan) it will be an important test of ‘localism’ for there to be intervention in decisions taken by the local planning authority.
Note to editors:
Contact for further details: Geoff Gardner 07887 662166 gg@hivesplanning.co.uk
8 planning applications were granted permission by the Development Control Committee of Teignbridge District Council on 21 June 2010 subject to completion of a Section 106 agreement.
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