New development for Paignton approved

New homes, a school & restaurant

Paignton is getting nearly 400 new homes, school and restaurant.

A planning inspectorate approved the controversial development, which is out of Torbay Council’s control, two years ago.

Torbay’s planning committee met on Monday [14 March] to discuss reserves matters, which included the provision of land for the school and restaurant, and the size and appearance of the homes.

Persimmon Homes will now build 373 flats, bungalows and houses at Inglewood, south of White Rock. Thirty per cent of homes – 112 – will be classed as affordable.

The company will give more than £2 million of section 106 funding – money paid to local authorities by developers to help the local community – to Torbay Council.

However, councillors were disappointed that no further details of the school or restaurant were provided by the developer.

Conservative Cllr Jackie Thomas of Kings Ash queried whether this would mean more houses would be built.

She said: “I feel the design is not the best for these dwellings and feel that, when we drive by, is this something that we are going to be proud of or simply cringe at?

“I just can’t support this. Of course, we do need houses. But we need the right type of houses, and I’m sorry but I don’t feel this is it.”

But Independent Cllr Karen Kennedy, who represents Churston with Galmpton, agreed that the development is against the wishes of the council, but felt that Persimmon had put forward a satisfactory proposal.

“Especially as ward councillors and the residents, we don’t want it,” she conceded. “However, we can’t stop that. We now have to work with what an inspector has told us we’re going to have. And that is 373 homes placed there.

“It could be an awful lot worse. I don’t think it’s particularly bad, I think an awful lot of work has gone into getting something which works for that area.”

The application went through by five votes to three.