New Brixham homes would be 'incongruous'

Scheme for 17th century farm buildings could be turned down

Plans to build 28 homes on the site of seventeenth century farm buildings on the outskirts of Brixham could be turned down next week (3 February).

Applicant Westcountry Land Enterprises wants to knock down industrial buildings off St Mary’s Road and build new properties, of which six will be classed as ‘affordable’.

But planning officers say the project would harm the historic character and landscape of the area, and the proposed new buildings would be ‘incongruous’ and ‘dominant’. It would, they say, have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring homes.

Of 50 public comments received by Torbay Council when the scheme was advertised, only one was in favour.

The buildings are the former St Mary’s industrial estate and the Old Dairy opposite, and although the site is allocated for housing in the local plan document, the traditional stone buildings are seen as a ‘gateway’ into the countryside beyond.

Objectors say the development would have a major impact on the local area and would cause traffic problems. Supporters say it removes an eyesore and helps meet local demand for housing.

Plans for 130 homes on the site were turned down in 2022, although most of the objections then referred to land to the east of the site that is not part of the latest application.

Some buildings on the current site are believed to date from the seventeenth century when they would have been used for agriculture.