Bid to stop building of new homes fails

Eastfield Gardens will neighbour the development in West Hill near Ottery St Mary

A bid by some residents in a Devon village to block 30 new homes from being built has failed after planners approved the proposals.

East Devon District Council's planning committee heard West Hill Parish Council feared the pressure the scheme’s additional residents would put on local schools, GP surgeries and other services.

The parish council said one of its meetings earlier in the year had been attended by 35 people speaking against the Blue Cedar Homes scheme in West Hill, near Ottery St Mary - a turnout it described as "unusual", suggesting it "demonstrated the importance of the issue to residents".

The planning committee approved the scheme with conditions, including for a footpath to be built connecting to adjacent land that could be developed in the future.

“We ask where will the children go to school given that West Hill Primary School and King’s School [in Ottery St Mary] are oversubscribed, where will householders access healthcare as GP services in Ottery are overstretched, and dentists in both West Hill and Ottery are not taking new patients,” a statement from the parish said.

'Car dependent'

Concerns were also raised about the impact on the environment from the scheme, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Devon County Council councillor Jess Bailey, Independent, Otter Valley, questioned how sustainable the site was in terms of its links to public transport.

She said the closest bus stop was 1.5km (0.93 miles) away from the build site and the frequency and timings of services would be an unattractive option for people, making future occupants "heavily car dependent".

Des Dunlop, the developer’s agent, said some residents had expressed concerns about increased flooding due to the development, but a drainage system would be put in place, meaning water run-off rates would be lower than if the site remained undeveloped.