Half of homes on new development must be ‘affordable’

Developers planning nearly 100 new homes for green fields on the outskirts of Exeter will be told to make half of them ‘affordable’.

Earlier this year, a government inspector overruled Exeter City Council, which had turned down plans for land off Pendragon Road at Mincinglake.

The council said the homes would harm the character and landscape of hills to the north of the city, but the inspector said the land was needed for new properties.

The ruling said the harm to the character and appearance of the area was ‘limited’ as the development would be screened on all sides, and the council’s lack of land for housing meant it needed the new homes. This was deemed to outweigh the ‘minimal’ harm to the landscape.

The appeal by the developers was allowed, subject to 50 per cent of the homes being affordable. Open space and a play area must also be provided.

Now the developers have come back to the council with a fresh plan, and officers are recommending that the planning committee says yes.

There are minor alterations to a boundary of the site, and a report to the committee points out that the council now has the required land supply for housebuilding for four years, meaning that part of the inspector’s ruling has been addressed.

But a report to the committee says: “It is, on balance, considered that the appeal decision sets a precedent of acceptability for this scheme and that the benefits continue to outweigh the harm caused.”

Councillors are being recommended to approve the scheme when they meet on July 29 as long as developers make half of the homes ‘affordable’ and keep 10 per cent of the site as public open space.

They must pay £395,000 for highways work in Pinhoe and further funds for a play area and multi-use games area at Pendragon Road, for NHS services and environmental projects.