Ilfracombe social homes will be among the first in town for 18 years

Buildings on a former nursery site in Ilfracombe are to be demolished to make way for 16 social homes after planners gave approval.

The Ilfracombe Community Land Trust proposed the “high quality” scheme to North Devon Council for the redundant Bicclescombe Nurseries site at Furze Hill Road and will own it in perpetuity.

Trusts like this are non profit making organisations that develop land for the benefit of the community.

The council’s housing enabling officer said this proposal would go someway to addressing “the huge shortfall” of affordable homes in Ilfracombe.

There are currently nearly 300 households on the housing waiting list.

Local families who are allocated the homes will sign long-term social rent tenancies and be able to remain in Ilfracombe, they said.

“Ilfracombe’s private housing stock consists of a lot of HMOs (houses of multiple occupation), and flats above shops, both of which can be in poor condition due to the age of the properties and damp climate.

“In recent years numerous private rental properties have been lost to second home owners, holiday lets, and Airbnb’s, pushing rent prices up making it extremely difficult for local people to remain living in Ilfracombe due to the dwindling stock.”

The homes will be a mix of one, two and three bed properties. The site is within the town’s development boundary.

Fifty seven letters of support were sent to the planning authority and six against the plans.

The layout and design of the scheme was changed after objections were raised from neighbours about overlooking and loss of light.

Cllr Paul Crabb (Con, Illfracombe East) said Furze Hill was a massive cul-de-sac where between 200 and 300 homes were accessed by one single track road.

Adding more traffic to this scenario was a concern, he said. His view was reflected in objections where residents also talked about the bad condition of the road with all its potholes. There were no objections from the highways department.

The scheme together with 11 new homes off The Shields in Ilfracombe for housing provider North Devon Homes (eight for social rent and three for shared ownership) will be the first low cost homes in the town for 18 years.