Residents fear disruption from Brixham Road closure

Brixham Road is due to be closed until the end of March, with a diversion in place

Business owners and residents have said the three-month closure of a main road in south Devon will cause major disruption.

The main road in and out of Brixham is due to be closed until the end of March for work to be carried out on a Persimmon housing development.

Fish merchant Ian Perkes said traffic diversions would cause "mayhem".

Persimmon Homes apologised but said the development required "significant infrastructure".

Fish exporter Ian Perkes said articulated lorries would have to use a diversion route

Mr Perkes told BBC Radio Devon the closure would affect "a whole bunch of fish merchants… on a daily basis".

He added: "These roads as we all know were not designed for artic [articulated] trucks that will now be going through these residential areas, you will probably see five or six artics a day, plus all the traffic."

He warned the traffic diversions would cause "mayhem".

The closure to facilitate the Inglewood housing development was originally opposed by Torbay Council.

However it was approved in December amid concerns citing refusal could lead to a £2.5m legal bill from the developer.

The ring road is due to be closed until 30 March between Windy Corner and the junction with Goodrington and Long Road.

The diversion runs along Dartmouth Road and up Goodrington Road.

Developers have the green light to close the road from January to the end of March

Angela and Gary Ainscough live on a section of the closed road.

Ms Ainscough said they expected to be affected by issues with utilities but the closure would also impact their "everyday lives".

She said: "We've been told we should have access at all times but we won't always necessarily be able to go right if we want to… or we won't be able to go right and will have to go left."

Ms Ainscough was also concerned about picking up their grandchildren from school.

The closure is to facilitate the building of 373 homes, a primary school and a pub.

New school

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes apologised for the inconvenience but said building 373 homes required "significant infrastructure"

He said they had responded to local concerns where possible, paid for extra bus services and that benefits would include a new primary school and a £2m contribution to the council and area.

He said 120 new homes would be social housing and they would ensure works were completed as "soon as possible".

There are also plans for improvements to the Windy Corner junction in May and June, and to the Long Road and Goodrington Road junction from late September to December 2023.