1,100 home plan approved in Newton Abbot

One in five to be affordable

The keys to the first of more than 1,000 new homes on a vast new development on the outskirts of Newton Abbot could be handed over to new homeowners early in 2027.

Developers behind the massive Houghton Barton project will begin work this autumn on a vital link road that will ‘unlock’ the site on green fields around the Seale Hayne complex.

The area is known as NA1, and is part of a three-stage strategy to provide nearly 5,000 homes around the town in the coming years. NA2 is nearby at Whitehill and NA3 is the controversial Wolborough Barton area south of the town.

Members of Teignbridge Council’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of three planning applications before them. The first was for up to 900 homes in an area which takes in both sides of Ashburton Road and runs up across fields past Seale Hayne and almost as far as Trago Mills.

It includes a primary school, shops, community buildings, a health and wellbeing centre and open spaces.

One in five of the homes must be ‘affordable’ and work must start within three years.

The second application was for 250 homes on a piece of land between Seale Hayne and the former Torquay United training pitch alongside the main road. Again, 20 per cent of the homes will be affordable.

The third application was for a new road to link the A383 to Howton Road, opening up access to the site.

Planning agent Chloe Clark said the proposals had been nearly 20 years in the making, and she urged councillors not to delay on the link road element of the plans .

John Parry of Bloor Homes said ‘years of hard work’ had gone into getting the plans to this stage. Around 100 homes would be built every year, and the first phase of the project would be for 385 homes.Objector Christopher Spooner raised concerns over the ecology of the site, and also queried ambulance response times to the new homes.

But Cllr Phil Bullivant (Con, Bradley) said: “It is important that we get behind the delivery of the homes that the people in this district need.”

Cllr David Palethorpe (Lib Dem, Ipplepen) said: “I believe this development will be a great benefit to Newton Abbot. It will bring more people into the town. It will support businesses and the community.”

However, Cllr Paul Parker (Ind, Ambrook) queried the need for so many large houses in the proposals, and said there should be more smaller ones.

“Having 82 per cent of the homes with three or four bedrooms is slightly excessive,” he said. “I hope they will bring forward the kind of homes that people require. In a few years time, with an ageing population, not all of those houses will be fit for purpose.

“It seems that we have missed an opportunity.”

And Cllr Bullivant also urged a fast start on the link road. Without it, he said, people living in nearby Highweek village faced years of diverted traffic using their narrow streets.

“I am really concerned,” he said. “This is going to cause significant issues.”