Split over East Devon homes plan

Plans for nine homes on the edge of a small East Devon community have led to split views about whether the scheme should be approved.

A bid to build nine homes, including four affordable properties, has been submitted by Paul Hunt on land adjoining West Hayes in West Hill.
Planning officers at East Devon District Council are recommending the scheme be approved, but the ward member for the area, Councillor Jess Bailey (Independent, West Hill and Aylesbeare) believes it should be blocked.
Cllr Bailey said she had previously objected to a smaller scheme on the site, so could not support the latest iteration.
“There is absolutely no way this application should be approved as it would lead to the felling of five substantial pine trees, four of which are classed as category B trees,” she said.
“On top of this, the remainder of the site is heavily wooded and if permission were to be granted it would inevitably put significant pressure on the health and viability of the trees on the site with future owners wishing to reduce and fell due to leaf drop and shading.”
Cllr Bailey said she had objected to the scheme’s location being part of the district council’s emerging local plan, which identifies sites in East Devon that are acceptable for homes to be built on.
West Hill Parish Council also said it continued to recommend the plans be refused, partly because the site is in an area defined as countryside and is beyond the so-called built-up area boundary where the notion of development is deemed acceptable.
“It also will add to the problems that will be caused by previously agreed developments close to this site in further stretching the limited resources and facilities of West Hill,” the parish council said.
“The council also remains concerned that there will be pressure in the future to cut back or even fell trees due to shading and leaf fall.
“In the letter from the agent it is stated that the maintenance of the wildflower meadow will be the responsibility of the residents; this sounds more like wishful thinking than a plan and there is no proposal about how this will be monitored and by whom and what the consequences of failing to carry out the maintenance will be.”
East Devon’s planning officers have accepted the site is outside the built-up area boundary, but due to pressures to hit housing targets, are suggesting the need for homes outweighs any perceived potential harm from the development.
“The boost to housing supply reflects a national objective and is therefore considered to weigh heavily in favour of the proposed development,” planning officers state.
“Currently, the district has a significant shortfall in the supply of housing, which has been calculated at 2.97 years against a requirement to provide five years’ supply.
“The proposal would bring about additional housing in what is considered, on balance, a sustainable location with services within reasonable walking distance and, for the most part, along footways that are mainly level and well-lit and, in places, alongside lightly trafficked roads.”
Officers also noted that the developer would contribute nearly £35,000 towards affordable housing projects elsewhere in the district if the scheme was approved.
Sites in rural areas are usually required to have 50 per cent affordable homes, but the planning officers suggested that four out of nine would be “an acceptable level of provision”.
East Devon District Council’s planning committee will decide on the plans next week (Tuesday 19 August).