Developers ‘bending over backwards’ to cut disruption in Torbay

First affordable homes to be available soon

Developers working on a major new housing scheme on the outskirts of Paignton have assured locals that they are doing all they can to minimise disruption.

Persimmon are building nearly 400 new homes at Inglewood, alongside the Torbay ring road between White Rock and Windy Corner.

The size of the project means months of disruption as new junctions are built and services laid beneath the road surface to link the new homes. The ring road itself was closed for a long period in the winter.

But Persimmon’s contract administrator Iain Neary said the company had gone out of its way to make sure disruption is being kept to a minimum.

He was responding to reports that Persimmon wants to delay the completion of roadworks, having asked Torbay Council to allow works to go on up to the point where the 150th home is completed, rather than the first.

Mr Neary said the measure would mean less disruption, and could mean the first affordable homes will be available soon.

“We are trying our best in difficult circumstances,” he said.

Developers said it would have taken a nine-month closure of the ring road to get all the work done in one go, but by revising the plans and changing the schedule of the work, that has so far meant just a three-month full closure.

The next phase of the work is a 10-week project at Long Road which is due to begin on 25 September. A five-week project at Windy Corner starts on 2 October, with a further three-month stage to follow in September 2024.

Roads will not be fully closed at any point.

The start of the work at Long Road was delayed to avoid disruption at the request of South Devon College.

“We have bent over backwards,” said Mr Neary. “We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption, and spending a lot more money than would normally be the case.

“We are trying to fit in with everyone and make it work. It’s not easy, but going above and beyond is the right thing to do.”

He said that allowing work to go until the 150th home was completed would allow persimmon to get on with building.

And, he added: “The aim is for some of the affordable housing to be available by the end of the year.”