Newton Abbot council delays comment on Wolborough Fen dispute as inquiry looms

Newton Abbot Town Council says it cannot make an informed comment on plans for 219 homes at Wolborough Barton until the outcome of a public inquiry into nearby development is known.

The proposed housing site on Totnes Road already has outline planning permission as part of the wider NA3 urban extension overseen by Teignbridge District Council.

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Developers David Wilson Homes and Barratt Homes have now submitted a “reserved matters” application covering details such as the layout of the estate and the types of homes to be built.

Members of the town council’s planning committee discussed the application yesterday (Tuesday 10 March), but agreed they could not comment while a separate planning inquiry into the wider NA3 development remains unresolved.

The inquiry, ordered by planning inspector Tom Bristow, will examine concerns about the potential impact of nearby development on Wolborough Fen, a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Councillor Janet Bradford told the meeting: “There’s a public inquiry coming up… to save the fen. We can’t possibly comment until we know the result.”

The committee also heard that Natural England has not yet been able to provide a full response to the application.

In an email to Teignbridge District Council dated March 4, Natural England higher officer for sustainable development Mark Wills said there was not enough information for the organisation to give a substantive response.

He also raised concerns about the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) submitted with the application.

“Once your council has reviewed the Applicant’s HRA, they should either confirm to Natural England that they are satisfied with it and that the Council will adopt it, or they should provide their own HRA and consult Natural England if appropriate.”

Members of the Newton Abbot Town Council planning committee agreed to withhold comment until these issues are resolved and further information is available.

The application will now be considered by Teignbridge District Council, the planning authority for the area, with Newton Abbot Town Council acting as a statutory consultee.

Issues surrounding the application form part of a long-running dispute over development on the outskirts of the town and the possible impact on Wolborough Fen, and have been previously reported by The Moorlander.

The fen is a rare wetland habitat and one of the most environmentally sensitive sites in Devon, and is home to species found nowhere else in the county.

A separate phase of the wider NA3 development is currently being built by Vistry Homes as part of a planned 1,200-home scheme on green fields outside the town.

The developer says the construction lies outside the catchment area feeding water into the fen and that the site is protected.

However, campaigners and environmental groups have raised concerns that changes to water flow from development could damage the habitat.

Last summer Teignbridge District Council halted work on the site, saying the developer had gone beyond agreed limits. Construction later resumed.

Earlier this year an appeal hearing intended to examine the issue was cut short after planning inspector Tom Bristow ruled the differences between the parties were too great to resolve in a short session.

Instead, the case will now be examined at a full three-day planning inquiry expected to take place in April.

Campaigners say the inquiry could determine the future of the fen, which they fear could be permanently damaged if water systems around the site are altered.