North Devon homes approved after 4 years wait

Controversial Landkey plan greenlit

Four-year-old plans to demolish a large house in Landkey and build 17 properties on its footprint and surrounding grazing land have finally been approved.

The application for Prospect House, Denes Road was supported by North Devon Council’s planning committee in 2020 and again in 2022, but was subject to the developer paying a community contribution for education, open space and biodiversity.

Having now completed the necessary legalities, the applicant has formally been granted planning permission with contributions of £70,000 split between primary and secondary education, around £30,000 for public open space and one per cent biodiversity net gain.

Planning officers said that it had taken time to negotiate an acceptable scheme and discuss its viability.

The demolition of the four-bed Prospect House was a requirement from the county council’s highways department to allow good visibility for the access junction.

Although only three two-bed affordable homes were offered for social rent, instead of the five as set out in policy, the officer had agreed because they were not optimistic that any increase could be negotiated.

A total of 87 new homes are required to meet housing needs in Landkey. Fifty  have already been approved south of Birch Road and there are other valid permissions in the parish, said officers.