Developers told to stop work at controversial site

Work has been temporarily stopped at the Wolborough site where 1,200 homes are expected to be built

Developers have been ordered to stop work at a site in Devon where 1,200 homes are set to be built.

Teignbridge District Council issued a temporary stop notice to Vistry Homes relating to the development at Wolborough, on the edge of Newton Abbot.

Residents said they were concerned that groundworks being carried out at the site - known as NA3 - may have gone beyond agreed planning permissions.

Vistry Homes said it was working with the council "to resolve any concerns".

David Knopfler's house overlooks the site where some works have been carried out

Residents feared excavation work in Stray Park Meadow could damage Wolborough Fen, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

David Knopfler, one of the founder members of the band Dire Straits with his brother Mark, now lives in Wolborough, where his home overlooks the development land.

He said he and other residents were "heartbroken" by the start of the works.

He said: "These rolling green hills are irreplaceable, and they're full of all kinds of natural wildlife and plants that are native to the area, endangered and so forth.

"Of course, once you make a huge scar like this, you've done the damage already."

Work being carried out at the Wolborough site

Discussions over plans for the site have been going on for more than 10 years and the scheme was give outline approval by the planning inspector in 2020.

Teignbridge District Council said it had served a temporary stop notice on the developer "for a potential breach of planning control".

A spokesperson for Vistry Group said: "We have paused these initial works whilst we work in partnership with Teignbridge Council to resolve any concerns they have relating to the original planning permission."