Plans for up to 100 homes in Exeter rejected

The site outline by Pendragon Road

Plans for up to 100 homes on the northern edge of Exeter have been unanimously rejected.

The applicant, Land Promotion Group Ltd, wanted to build the properties on green fields next to the city's Pendragon Road.

Half were classed as affordable, with the majority of those for social rent.

The application was rejected largely because of its negative impact on the landscape and local area.

The meeting, held at the Guildhall on Monday, was told an area of public open space would have been provided at the north end of the site, as well as children's play areas, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

However, in recommending refusal, the planning officer's report said the development would be visible from publicly accessible parks as well as other parts of the city, "damaging the landscape setting of the city and views of the rural landscape".

'Irrecoverable harm'

Councillor Naima Allcock spoke against the plan, despite saying it was, "deeply regrettable to be speaking against an application that promises to add to our affordable housing stock".

"However, while we do need this housing, I don't believe it should be delivered at any cost.

"The compromises that this application would require us to make - on biodiversity, on public open space, on our environment - would create deep and irrecoverable harm to our city."

A protest was held against the application at the weekend, as well as for a separate plan at nearby Stoke Hill, with more than 200 of the 310 public responses against (85 in support).

Council leader Phil Bialyk concluded: "It's not about who lives in it, it's about the impact it's going to have on the local community and also people who potentially end up living there."