Campaigners stop work on major building site

Vistry Homes downs tools following protests

Work on a massive housing scheme on the outskirts of Newton Abbot has stopped following a major public protest and an urgent intervention from Teignbridge Council.

Developer Vistry Homes has downed tools on the ‘NA3’ site at Wolborough, where permission has been given for 1,200 new homes.

At the end of April officers from Teignbridge Council stepped in to halt the work amid claims that Vistry had gone beyond the limits of the permission granted.

Work had got under way on a large drainage pond, and campaigners said they feared the works would cause irreparable damage to nearby Wolborough Fen, an official Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

A national newspaper recently named the fen as one its 10 ‘jewels’ of English nature at risk from development. Protesters walked onto the site with placards to see the pond for themselves.

Teignbridge Council said work to create the drainage pond fell outside the approved areas and issued a temporary stop notice, which is due to expire next week.

Vistry said at the time that it would continue to work with the council to resolve any concerns and ensure that recommended planning procedures were followed.

Aerial view of the Wolborough NA3 site at Newton Abbot (Image courtesy: Newton Says No)

However, ward councillors have today received an email from council officers telling them that Vistry has confirmed in writing that it will stop work on the whole site, apart from ‘mitigation’ work to reduce soil erosion and make sure silt does not end up in the fen during storms.

Talks are understood to be in progress between the council and the developers.

The email goes on: “It has been made clear to the developer that regular monitoring of the situation will be undertaken, and it has been stressed to the developer that any continuation of works on the site itself  – other than agreed interim mitigation/remediation works – would likely necessitate the council having to formally serve a stop notice and enforcement notice.”

The news was announced on social media by the Newton Says No group which has campaigned against the NA3 housing project in its current form.

One group member posted: “Well done everyone, it just shows what we can achieve if we stick together and stay strong.”

Cllr Richard Daws (Ind, Ambrook) said: “This reinforces what we have been saying the whole time, which is please be sure that if you do anything, it is not to the detriment of the SSSI.

“And without doubt the residents putting forward such a strong and cohesive case made it difficult for the developers and the council to ignore.”

Vistry Homes has been invited to comment on the latest development.