Redhills fields stay green

Plans for 80 homes refused

Plans for 80 homes to be built right on the edge of Exeter at Redhills have been refused due to the harmful impact they would have on the landscape character of the area.

ALD Development’s proposals for the location south of the built up area of Exwick, east of Redhills, went before Exeter City Council’s planning committee.

The outline application was for up to 80 homes – of which 35 per cent would be affordable – and would have also included two play areas, a new footway and the removal of hedgerow to allow access.

The site is located on the very edge of Exeter with the steep sloping open fields to the north within the boundary of Teignbridge District Council.

That Attwells Farm site in Teignbridge is included for up to 250 homes, but no planning permission currently exists for the development and therefore remains open countryside.

Officers’ planning assessment concluded that the benefits of the proposed housing does not outweigh the harmful impact it would have on the landscape character of the area, and councillors agreed.

There had been 281 objections from local residents, on the grounds of the impact on landscape character, the impact on wildlife and biodiversity, concerns about flooding, the need to follow Liveable Exeter’s vision and build on brownfield sites, and that with the plans for development on the Teignbridge site, it would be overdevelopment of the area.

Officers concluded that despite Exeter not having a five year land supply and the presumption therefore being in favour of sustainable development, the scheme should be refused, and councillors at the meeting unanimously backed that recommendation.

Cllr Rachel Sutton said that the scheme would have a detrimental impact and that it will be visually intrusive, adding: “We need to be looking at brownfield sites for development before green field sites. We are keen to encourage people to walk and cycle but looking at that footpath, the idea that anyone with a shopping trolley or a small child will go up or down the hill is frankly ludicrous, and the bus stops are miles away.”

Cllr Rob Hannaford added: “This is a huge concern given the location and the challenging topography of the site. At our last meeting, we were discussing a car free development, but this is the opposite to that, and the way it has been developed with sustainability, this would be a car essential development if you are not careful. It would be isolating if you didn’t have your own transport.”

The report read: “The fact that housing on site is visible within an area of land does not necessarily make a development unacceptable and as the application is in outline and therefore the appearance of the proposed dwellings is not for consideration. However it is the impact the built development would have on the overall landscape character of the area, which remains the fundamental consideration as to whether the scheme is acceptable.

“The fundamental consideration therefore is whether the provision of 80 dwellings (including 28 affordable units), provision of onsite open space/play areas and the associated highway improvement and mitigation measures put forward in support of the application take precedence against the detrimental impact the development would have on the landscape character of the area both locally and from a wider landscape setting.

“The assessment is clearly a balanced one, however it is considered that the landscape quality of this valued site and the harmful visual impact intrusive created by the housing development should be afforded greater weight, in this instance.

Councillors unanimously refused the application on the grounds the development would have a significant impact on the rural character of the area and landscape setting of the city by developing and urbanising a prominent ridgeline that will be visible from surrounding parts of the city, and that it will have a significant impact on the rural character of Redhills through the creation of an access road and necessary visibility splays, which will detract from the rural approach to the city from the west.