Bideford Councillor urges Torridge planners to prioritise environment in housing approvals
Councillor makes call for committee to "act responsibly"
Planners in Torridge should be striving for better when approving new homes in order to protect the environment and local people, according to a Bideford councillor.
It follows planning permission given for the finer details of Bloor Homes first phase of a 750-house development in Abbotsham.
The whole scheme has already been granted consent in principle and is expected to be developed in stages over the next ten years.
But Cllr Annie Brenton (Lab, Bideford West), who addressed Torridge District Council’s plans committee earlier this month about her concerns over the pressure on the sewage system, said she was disappointed that councillors, who shared her concerns at the meeting, did not have the courage of their convictions when voting.
The detailed plans for the 82 homes were supported by eight councillors on the committee with only Cllr Peter Hames (Green, Appledore) voting against.
Cllr Hames had raised issues of the effect on the environment from all the new homes, where gas boilers had been proposed.
His view was that gas boilers should not be accepted given the issues with climate change, suggesting that air source heat pumps or alternative less damaging and more efficient energy sources were used instead.
Speaking to councillors this week at the annual general meeting, Cllr Brenton said over the next ten years our environment was going to suffer more and planners needed to ensure changes were made to development applications to look after it.
“Everyone who spoke at the plans meeting had concerns about that development but only one had the courage of their convictions. No-one is against the housing, neither am I, but we need good quality housing that does not affect the community in a detrimental way or the environment.
“Gas boilers, the increase in surface water drainage and not enough attenuation tanks, sewage overload, insufficient biodiversity on site – these are issues that need sorting out – this is one of the huge planning applications we currently have in Torridge and we need to get it right.
“The council needs to look seriously at responsibility and think about the future of our community. We need the housing but it must be built well and properly and with the qualities our environment demands. Who knows what will happen or where we will be with the sewage problems or carbon footprint otherwise.”
Planning officers said Bloor Homes had exceeded its carbon reduction requirement with enhanced insulation and solar panels and drainage arrangements were considered adequate.
They said that there was no space to include a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) such as rain gardens on this site but this would be considered for other phases of the development.