Council approves plans for 17 new properties

The application was supported by North Devon Council’s planning committee

An application to demolish a large house in North Devon and build 17 new properties on its footprint has been approved.

Planning officers said it had taken time to negotiate an acceptable scheme for Prospect House in Landkey after plans were first put forward in 2020.

The application was supported by North Devon Council’s planning committee in 2020 and again in 2022 - but was subject to the developer paying a community contribution for education, open space and biodiversity.

Three two-bed affordable homes will be offered for social rent as part of the development.

'Necessary legalities'

While five affordable homes were set out in the original policy, planning officers agreed to three because "they were not optimistic that any increase could be negotiated", the Local Democracy Reporting Services (LDRS) said.

The demolition of Prospect House was a requirement from the county council’s highways department to allow good visibility for the access junction, it added.

Having completed the necessary legalities, the applicant has formally been granted planning permission with contributions of £70,000 split between primary and secondary education, about £30,000 for public open space and one per cent biodiversity net gain.

Eighty-seven new homes are required to meet housing needs in Landkey.

Officers said 50 had already been approved south of Birch Road and there were other valid permissions in the parish.