Councillors and scout leaders in Bishopsteignton are ‘disappointed, dismayed and disillusioned’ after Teignbridge District Council (TDC) effectively shut the door on plans for a scout hut to be built on the Lawns recreational area of the village.

Representatives from Bishopsteignton Parish Council and Bishopsteignton Scouts said that they have been left with no way forward following the decision at the TDC Executive last month.

Much of the wrangling concerns the interpretation of a restrictive covenant on the village Lawns. When Teignbridge District Council sold the land to Bishopsteignton Parish Council around 20 years ago, one of the conditions was that the area could only be used for recreational purposes.

Bishopsteignton Parish Council and the Scouts said they spoke to TDC when they began working on plans to build the new scout hut and that they were assured that the restrictive covenant would not be an issue and that they should go ahead with a planning application.

However, after the group successfully gained planning permission from Teignbridge for the new hut in March 2023, TDC denied any knowledge of having given assurances about the covenant. The project then stalled when TDC’s legal team raised concerns that building a Scout hut might open the door for the land to be further developed.

To try to move things forward, Councillor Andrew MacGregor submitted a motion to the TDC Executive requesting that an independent legal expert be brought in to strengthen and amend the covenant.

Bishopsteignton Council and the scout group said last month’s decision was made before they had been able to meet with all interested parties.

‘Our understanding was that councillor MacGregor’s motion would be deferred to provide additional time for further discussions between the Parish Council, Scouts and TDC on potential options to advance their ambitions for the scout hut, which is pivotal to the scouting movement in Bishopsteignton,’ said Parish Council chair Henry Merritt. ‘I fail to understand why anyone in TDC involved in this matter has been so reluctant to hold the requested meeting. Such a meeting would have enabled all parties to have fully understood all the issues, details and relevant background. This would also have ensured that information given to the TDC Executive Committee at the recent meeting would have been based on the facts of the last ten years,’ he added.

Teignbridge District Council executive member for economy, estates and major projects David Palethorpe argued that it was the responsibility of Councillor MacGregor to organise such a meeting.

‘This outcome is beyond belief, and we all feel very aggrieved. It cannot be underestimated the amount of time, money, commitment and enthusiasm put into advancing this project. Our community has been behind us all the way and supported our fundraising project,’ said Elaine Cawthraw from Bishopsteignton Scouts Trustee Board.

‘We’re now being told that any further contact with TDC should be through a legal challenge; we’re a small charity with limited funds,’ she added.

‘We all live in hope that TDC will give all interested parties a meeting to discuss the way forward. In the meantime, I worry that the future of the scout group is in jeopardy and young people will ultimately suffer.’