Our Proposal

The proposed site was submitted and has been consideredin East Devon District Council’s Local Plan Review, which started last year with the Call for Sites in January 2021, to gain insight in where in the district the sites are that may be available for housing and employment land. According to the adopted Local Plan, a total of 17,100 new homes are needed by 2031 which is about 946 new homes every year. However, in their Housing Monitoring Update, the Council have set out that housing delivery is currently falling short across the district. Morrish Homes were in a position to help solve the housing delivery issue and ensure that sufficient housing is coming forward in East Devon, allowing local people to find an adequate place to live.

Under the call for sites process, we have demonstrated to the local authority, that all contributing factors considered by them as being negative and unable to support the site have been mitigated, these were:

1. Gas main exclusion zone proximity, - demonstrated the site was outside the high risk zones and that development holds no significant risk or harm under this suggested constraint
2. Sustainable location – demonstrated that there are significant pedestrian and cyclist trips made regularly from Strava data through the village and that cycling and walking is utilised as much as vehicle use, meaning the suggested risk to pedestrians utilising a shared surface road (road with no footpath) was not a significant risk as the roads required to be utilised by pedestrians/cyclists have such low trip rates from vehicular perspectives that they can be classed as a shared surface, where pedestrians and vehicles jointly use them. This was substantiated by a traffic survey conducted for a two week period outside of school holiday season.
3. Mining & Minerals exclusion zone – demonstrated that the site is not within a mining and mineral zone, which was confirmed to the local authority by Devon County Council.

The site at Oak Road is deliverable in planning terms as it is available now, it is situated at a suitable location and it would provide 23 homes within 5 years. It therefore meets the required criteria. Morrish Homes’ specialist consultants have confirmed that any technical challenges and constraints can be suitably addressed. The site is outside of any landscape or ecological designations. It provides an excellent opportunity to bring forward a beautifully designed, well-screened, low-density development with appropriate landscaping and open space.

We have introduced a number of bungalows in the layout, mainly along the boundary with Higher Broad Oak Road. Many of the new homes will be adaptable and accessible for elderly or disabled residents.

Since the submitted outline planning application to East Devon District Council, which is available for viewing on the Council’s website under planning reference 22/2533/MOUT. An appeal has been submitted under grounds of non-determination under reference: APP/u1105/w/23/3322776.

The appeal of the application is seeking only to approve the detail for the site access, with all other matters including the internal layout and design remaining indicative at this stage of the planning process.

We would like to hear from the local community as the plans take shape and evolve over time. If you have feedback you would like to share with us, in particular ideas about how this site and any future plans could best contribute to the community, please get in touch.