PLANS for 135 new homes on the edge of Newton Abbot that will help unlock the Jetty Marsh II Link Road and a cycle and pedestrian path into the town have been approved.

Teignbridge District Council planners on Tuesday morning gave the go ahead for the outline scheme for land at Berry Knowles, at the junction of the A382 and Exeter Road.

The scheme is not allocated for development in the Local Plan, but was recommended for approval by officers as the site was considered a sustainable location for development, adjacent to existing allocated housing and would provide significant benefits through the transfer of land to enable the early delivery of the road widening works and cycle routes for the Jetty Marsh II Link Road.

While the site is not within the Local Plan, councillors heard that it was expected to be included as a site when the plan is updated, approving the plan now would enable the infrastructure to be put in place first, and that refusal would merely delay, rather than stop, development taking place.

Of the 135 new homes, 30 per cent will be affordable, and large parts of the site would be allocated as public open space.

Recommending approval, planning officer Kelly Grunnill said that while the site was not allocated within the Local Plan, the Officer assessment was that it is a sustainable location for development.

She added: ‘The site has been considered to be deliverable and developable under the examination of the current adopted Local Plan, and the site is also available.

‘It therefore seems likely that there are two scenarios where housing could come forward at this site in due course even if members were minded not to support proposals at this stage, either though adoption in the Local Plan Part 2, anticipated around 2023 or though the council not being able to demonstrate a five year supply of land for housing, triggering the presumption on favour of sustainable development

‘The current proposals, as set out in this report, deliver higher rates of custom build housing, significant additional landscape and biodiversity enhancement and, significantly the ability to deliver the strategic road widening project coupled with cycle routes, a strategically important project to Teignbridge and Devon County Council.

‘These benefits may not come forward in a scenario where the applicant gains permission under other scenarios and therefore this application offers a very real opportunity to obtain the maximum gain from the development of this site

‘The proposed development would lead to substantial public benefit in terms of infrastructure provision that would provide a new modern standard gateway to Newton Abbot, improving the capacity of the A382 and associated cycle/pedestrian facilities.’

Cllr Phil Bullivant, who represents the Bradley ward in which the site lies, proposed approval of the scheme, and saying that it was vital the footpath and cycleway was available from day one.

Cllr Jackie Hook added: ‘While the site is not allocated in the Local Plan, we don’t live in a perfect world, and there are many other highly relevant factors that affect the wellbeing of residents in the future.’

She said there will be a requirement for more sites for housing and that the council needed to plan ahead, saying: ‘It makes sense to ensure the sites are near existing facilities and infrastructure. The site is highly likely to be allocated in the next Local Plan if the housing demands are the same so a refusal merely delays the site rather than stops it.

‘There are very good reasons to approve the site now, and top of the list is facilitating the Jetty Marsh Link II road and the cycle way to link the road from the A382 to the Hospital and the White Golds roundabout.

‘We have a chance to facilitate getting the link in before the rest of Whitehill and Berry Knowles are built. Not building houses is not an option.’

But Cllr Janet Bradford said that while the Government does say ‘we have to build, but we don’t need to rip up the countryside.’

She said: ‘We need to look for brownfield sites so we are not hurting all the green fields around us. I really couldn’t vote for this.’

Councillors voted by 12 votes to three, with three abstentions, to grant outline planning permission for Sibelco’s scheme. A reserved matters scheme covering the detail of the site will need to be submitted and approved at a later date.

After the meeting, a spokesman for Sibelco said: ‘We welcome the committee’s decision and were particularly pleased to hear highlighted the many community benefits – such as improved cycle provision, affordable housing and wildlife habitat measures – that Sibelco has already delivered across Teignbridge.

‘We look forward to working with the authority to ensure that the Berry Knowles scheme contributes even further to the district’s wellbeing and need to satisfy the requirements of the Local Plan.

‘Teignbridge has demonstrated a clear commitment to ensuring that future development works in residents’ favour and we will liaise further with officers and members to see how else our estate can assist with their aims while at the same time continuing to be a significant employer and contributor to the local economy.’