Planning inquiry begins into 1,200-home project

2 days ago

Miles DavisDevon political reporter

Groundworks have already taken place at the site at Wolborough

BBC A building site with plant machinery surrounded by fields — Groundworks have already taken place at the site at Wolborough

A planning inquiry into a controversial 1,200-home development has begun.

The inquiry is expected to look into questions about the impact of the development on Wolborough Fen, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The inquiry is considering three appeals from Baker Estates and Vistry Devon South West against decisions by Teignbridge District Council relating to detailed proposals within the site on the edge of Newton Abbot.

Rows over development at the site have been going on for more than a decade. Dozens of protesters attended the first meeting at Newton Abbot's Forde House, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A planning inquiry is being held into the development at Wolborough near Newton Abbot

The fencing in front of the entrance to the Wolborough site with a wooden hut — A planning inquiry is being held into the development at Wolborough near Newton Abbot

At a hearing in February, planning inspector Tom Bristow said he had "rarely encountered as wide a gulf" between a council and a developer as he had in this case.

Outline planning permission was granted by the planning inspector in 2021 for 1,210 homes, a school and two care homes.

Wolborough Fen is described as "one of the finest remaining valley fens in south-west England" by the Devon Widlife Trust, which is opposing the development plans.

The Wolborough Residents Association claimed the "groundwater that sustains the fen could be permanently disrupted" if the development went ahead.

Peter Sadler, divisional managing director at Vistry, said the inquiry would "ensure a transparent and rigorous examination of the issues and allow all the technical evidence to be considered in full".

He said: "Our Phase 2A development does not encroach on the Wolborough Fen catchment area, and Natural England have confirmed on multiple occasions that they have no objection to the development proceeding."

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Richard Daws, of the Wolborough Residents Association, and an Independent member of Teignbridge Council said the issue had been ongoing for 15 years.

He said: "The whole argument now is down to the protection of the Wolborough Fen Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is a very fragile site, and the developers are proposing a plan that the Devon Wildlife Trust say puts that site at risk.

"It is totally unique. It has been thousands of years in the making and it'll take just a few weeks to concrete over."

The inquiry is due to last until 12 August with a decision expected to be made at a later date.

Additional reporting by Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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