St Bridget Nursery demolition decision deferred

Knock-back for plans for 350 homes

Plans to build up to 350 new homes at a long-established Exeter garden centre have been deferred because of concerns about road safety.

Developer Waddeton Park hopes to build the homes at St Bridget Nursery on Old Rydon Lane. The site is now closed to the public but remains in use as the company’s nursery and head office.

However, while members of Exeter City Council’s planning committee broadly accepted the principle of development on Wednesday [8 February], they were unhappy with the main access point being from the A379 Rydon Lane.

Devon County Council raised no objections to the highways plan but councillors disagreed, with one describing it as “dangerous.”

To make way for the new homes, the planning application set out how the nursery’s horticultural and office buildings at Old Rydon Lane would be demolished, followed by a “phased construction” of housing.

There would be 62 one-bedroom homes, 87 two-beds, 138 three-beds and 59 four-bed homes, though these would be confirmed at a later date. Just over a third of the properties would be classed as ‘affordable’ – typically defined as up to 80 per cent of market rates.

The land, of around 35 acres, is in the Newcourt area of Exeter which is allocated for 3,500 dwellings and 16 hectares of employment land. A significant proportion of the area has now been built on.

A new main road through the development was proposed, closing off part of Old Rydon Lane for through-traffic by creating new access points into the site. This will create a low traffic ‘green lane’ along part of Old Rydon Lane.

But members of the committee took issue with the main access from the Rydon Lane dual-carriageway near Countess Weir. Local councillor Joshua Ellis-Jones (Labour, Topsham) had “major concerns,” describing the access as “far from ideal at best and dangerous at worst.”

He said there had been two near-fatal road collisions in the area in the last three years, adding: “I implore the committee to reflect on proceeding to approve a 350-home development with effectively a single access point.”

Many councillors asked why an agreement couldn’t instead be reached with a neighbouring landowner to guarantee access to the Ikea roundabout nearby – a route seen as much safer.

Dozens of public objections had also been raised, including concerns about changes and impacts to the road network, the loss of “prime agricultural land,” the scale of the development, a loss of green land, and the impact on local infrastructure.

Nobody from or representing the developer attended the meeting to defend their plans.

However, recommending approval, the planning officer report stated: “The site falls within the Newcourt strategic allocation … proposed for around 3,500 dwellings (which this development will contribute towards), employment land and associated infrastructure.

“In effect, the principle of allowing housing on this site has already been established through the adoption of this policy.”

But Green councillor Diana Moore (St David’s) said the developer needed to “think again,” expressing concerns about public transport and the access arrangement.

Councillor Rob Newby (Conservative, Topsham) added: “I’m sure the people from Old Rydon Lane are not NIMBYs [not in my back yard] … They’re not against the actual development. It’s purely on the aspect of road safety.

“Two near fatals, for me, is two too many.”

Labour councillor Marina Asvachin (Wonford & St Loyes) agreed, saying: “I would happily vote for this if the highways issue was changed. Otherwise, no. Sorry, but it’s dangerous.”

Despite a planning officer warning of a potential appeal, councillors voted to defer in the hope of renegotiating access points with the developer.