RESIDENTS in Howton Road, Newton Abbot, have won their fight to stop ten extra homes being built on a section of the former Hele Park Golf Course, off Ashburton Road.

Developer Redrow West County Ltd had permission to build 81 units on this portion, but upped the number to 91, which would have pushed the new houses closer to the homes in Howton Road, although it would not have meant increasing the 650 on the whole site.

After long and protracted negotiations with Teignbridge Council officers, Redrow has now backed down. The overall affordable housing numbers have been changed from 36 per cent to 38 per cent.

At Newton Abbot Town Council Planning Committee on Tuesday councillors agreed they would leave the decision to the district authority officers.

Cllr Mike Hocking said the changes were acknowledged but there were still concerns about getting water off the site.

‘We have now left it to the officers’ decision. They have assured us no planning permission is granted until the developer provides a plan to deal with the water run off and they are satisfied with it,’ said Cllr Hocking.

The committee also considered stage three for the site – Redrow’s hybrid application for 60 dwellings, 20 per cent affordable. That involves 57 dwellings and outline for three self-build plots.

Cllr Hocking said a big positive on this section was that it would be accessed off Ashburton Road.

‘We have had umpteen problems on the other site by going in off Mile End Road,’ he stated.

The chairman, Cllr David Howe, said there were no objections to the plan – the committee’s views would go to the district authority – but there were still concerns about drainage issues for the whole site and it was suggested the driveways should be permeable surfaces.