Rejected Beacon Heath homes likely to go ahead

Objections over-ruled

Nearly 100 new homes are likely to get the go-ahead on green fields to the north of Exeter when the city council’s planning committee meets next week.

Members will see new proposals for 93 homes in fields near Beacon Heath in the Mincinglake and Whipton ward.

Officers are advising them to say yes to the plans subject to conditions.

When similar plans for the area off Spruce Close and Celia Crescent first came before the city council in 2021 they prompted angry protests from residents determined to protect the green open space.

Nearly 500 letters of objection were received and the application was turned down by the city council in a unanimous vote.

Developers appealed, and Cllr Naima Allcock (Lab, Mincinglake and Whipton) said at the time: “If we are successful in having this appeal dismissed it will set a new precedent that will prevent further development of the green hills in Mincinglake, Pennsylvania and Pinhoe.”

However, a planning appeal overturned that decision in 2022 and said the homes could go ahead. The planning inspector said Exeter’s need for new homes outweighed other issues.

With the principle of building the homes on the site already agreed, next week’s planning committee meeting will discuss the details. Officers say the latest plans address a number of concerns raised earlier.

More than 30 of the homes will be ‘affordable’.

A report to the meeting says: “Overall, no adverse impacts of this proposal are considered to outweigh the benefits.”

The site is made up of two fields ringed by mature trees and hedges near Pinwood Meadow.

Applicants Edenstone Homes have pledged to create a new valley park area on fields to the north and west of the site.