Exclusive by Alan Quick

DETAILS of a plan for up to 75 houses on a narrow strip of land running alongside Higher Road, Crediton, most of which falls within Sandford Parish and outside the Mid Devon District Council housing settlement boundary, was presented at a meeting of Crediton Town Council on Tuesday, October 3.

Neal Jillings and Richard Persey of Placeland, told councillors, members of Crediton Town Council’s policy and forward planning committee, that they would be briefing Sandford Parish Councillors about the scheme at Sandford council’s meeting on Thursday, October 5.

CONSULTATION

He said that the scheme was at a very early stage and many of the detailed reports required with a planning application had not, as yet, been prepared, but said that a public consultation to explain a variety of options for the site would be held at Sandford Cricket Club on Wednesday, October 25.

Mr Jillings said it was “a good location” and would help Mid Devon District Council fulfil its housing supply.

He said early discussions had taken place with Mid Devon District Council and Devon County Council to advance the scheme but hoped that a planning application could be submitted before the end of the year.

He told the meeting that it was a long thin field shielded by woodlands and said there would be a buffer zone around the woodland.

Ecological surveys, as well as some with regards to drainage, landscape and visual impact have been completed, he confirmed.

Mr Jillings said the site ran from near Higher Road to Forches Corner.

CLOSURE OF HIGHER ROAD TO VEHICLES

He confirmed that one option being considered was the closure of that section of Higher Road, downgrading it for pedestrian/cycle routes.

Traffic, he added, could be diverted through the development site on a dedicated road but this option was not well received by councillors who said that Higher Road was the only viable alternative for traffic should there be a road closure through the town and was now considered “the bypass that never happened”.

She said Higher Road was included as a route in the Local Emergency Plan for the town.

There was discussion about future increases in traffic which would result from proposed further development (120 homes on land owned by Mr R Pennington) further along Higher Road and further, at Copplestone, for example, which it was said would only increase traffic along Higher Road.

AIR QUALITY

Mrs Liz Brookes-Hocking, committee chairman, asked if widening and upgrading Higher Road had been considered, and Mr Jillings said that three options were being looked at but said no details had been confirmed.

She said that medium-sized lorries used Higher Road and added that any proposal which resulted in more lorries using the town would not be accepted, particularly because Crediton town was an Air Quality Management (AQM) zone.

She highlighted how there was a shortage of ancient woodland in the Crediton area and said the woodland areas must be protected.

JOCKEY HILL ROUNDABOUT

Devon County Cllr Nick Way said he had concerns about pedestrian safety and traffic issues.

Highlighted was the need for urgent pedestrian and traffic safety works at the “pinch point” at the bottom of Jockey Hill at the roundabout where it joins Blagdon.

It was also noted that a housing plan for the playing field at Stoneshill Lane was likely to access part-way down Jockey Hill if and when completed.

Crediton Town Clerk Mrs Clare Dalley asked if thoughts had been given to traffic connectivity in the wider area as well as the local area and Mr Jillings said he did not have all the answers to road safety issues.

Mrs Brookes-Hocking confirmed that Crediton Town Council was leading a consultation into traffic in Crediton.

Cllr John Downes, a Crediton Town and Mid Devon District Councillor, said that the severe turns into and out of the site as shown on the illustrative masterplan “would not work”, which was agreed by Mr Jillings.

Knocking down Forches Corner house was one of the suggestions which could ease the pinch point.

Cllr John Ross said the stretch of road fronting Higher Road should be widened, especially if more houses were to be built.

Mrs Brookes-Hocking said appropriate-only housing designs would only be accepted.

‘COULDN’T THINK OF A BIGGER FOLLY’

Two members of the public attended the meeting to raise questions about the Higher Road plan after the developers had left.

Given an opportunity to speak, local resident David Nation said he was “amazed” such a planning application had been submitted outside the settlement boundary.

He continued: “I couldn’t think of a bigger folly, to increase traffic along Higher Road and take out part of the carriageway and turn it into a green lane.

“With the increasing use by lorries along this road, this plan is April the first stuff, it is absolute madness.

“The pinch point at the bottom of Jockey Hill will get worse, it is just absolute madness.

“It is ‘blue sky thinking’ and is not even in the housing plan area.”

Mrs Mary Nation said she remembered council policies that no new properties could be built on the top of hills as they were ‘safeguarded areas’.

She questioned whether this policy was still in operation.

Simon Trafford, Area Team Leader, Planning Services, Mid Devon District Council, who was also at the meeting confirmed that she was correct but said that he believed the amount of weight given to such a policy was not high.

• What do you think of the plan for up to 75 homes off Higher Road near Crediton?

Share your views with fellow “Courier” readers. Write a letter, suitable for publication, with your name, address and a daytime telephone number (not necessarily for publication), to: The Editorial Manager, “Crediton Courier”, 102 High Street, Crediton EX17 3LF.

Alternatively, email your letter, with the required information, to: [email protected] .