construction by Allison Homes. August 2025.
A Major New Planning Application For Area B of the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension.
For full details in MDDC Public Access please click on the link below:
25/01652/MOUT. Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension (Area B) Land to The South of Post Hill & Mayfair & West of Manley Lane Tiverton Devon
Hybrid application for the erection of up to 650 dwellings consisting of 161 dwellings, vehicle accesses, estate roads, pedestrian and cycle connections, SUDs, public open space, landscaping and associated works in detail together with outline proposals (to establish access only) for the erection of up to 489 dwellings, care/retirement home (Use Class C2/C3), up to 1000sqm of commercial floorspace (Class E and F.2), public open space and associated works reserved.
This application, submitted by Westcountry Land (Tiverton) in November 2025, largely follows the AREA B Masterplan,
although the proposed rod link to the main road is very different in the new application, and it will hopefully resolve the major problems posed during the Public Consultation including access details. Unlike the recent opportunist Hartnoll Farm application, 25/01500/MOUT(see below) this application is part of the planned major TEUE development on allocated land within the Tiverton settlement boundary.
Renewed Planning Application for Hartnoll Farm, Halberton.
25/01500/MOUT Phased outline for the extension of the existing business park for up to 3.9ha of employment land and up to 150 dwellings with associated infrastructure and access with other matters reserved.
The major outline planning application by Waddeton Park for the building of up to 150 houses and an extension of the existing Business Park to 3.9 Hectares at Hartnoll Farm, which was refused by MDDC and dismissed by the Secretary of State on appeal in 2024, has been resubmitted with a number of small changes to the original application, the grounds for the new application being that the Mid Devon Local Plan is now out of date and Mid Devon District Council is no longer able to meet its housing targets and the ‘Tilted Balance’ now comes into force ‘Critical to the consideration of the housing element of the current application that is now being made is that the adopted Local Plan is now more than 5 years old and the Council are unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply’. (Planning Statement)*. Many of the original objections remain, including the fact that the new application would be on ‘Best and Most Versatile Soil’ outside the settlement boundary for Tiverton, the proposed development would further reduce the green area buffer separating Halberton and Tiverton. and this development would place further pressure on the road infrastructure now that Phase 2 of the full Access Junction has been cancelled. Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension (EUE) Access Junction has plentiful land for residential development on allocated land in both Area A and Area B of the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension, and, in addition, a large area of land is allocated for employment development in Area A. Also important is Halberton Parish Council’s view that ‘the development will fall short of a number of policies within the Mid Devon Local Plan. These include S1, S9, DM1, DM3, DM4 and DM25 given that the policies looked at growth at Cullompton and Tiverton and not in open countryside. Halberton is not at Tiverton, it is a rural parish with the need to preserve a green area between Tiverton and Halberton.’ Objections will need to be particularly strong to outweigh the ‘presumption in favour of development’ when the Tilted Balance is applied as the balance is whether the impacts (such as those outlined above) ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweigh the benefits of granting permission. The tilted balance ‘tilts’ the balance in favour of approving an application.
*What is the Tilted Balance and how is it applied? Please see https://silverplan.co.uk/the-tilted-balance-when-housing-needs-override-local-plans/
The Mid Devon Housing Delivery Test Plan 2025 identifies the reasons for the shortfall in housing delivery and considers how this problem can be resolved in future. Unplanned solutions, such as the Hartnoll Application, are certainly not part of this strategy.
First and foremost, objectors should concentrate on the fact that this would be an unsustainable development because, for housing in particular, it is a remote location a considerable distance away from shops and other services, schools being difficult to access by pedestrians, and it would take up part of the important green space, which includes the Grand Western Canal Conservation Area, between the settlement boundaries of Tiverton and Halberton*. There is no prospect that the Local Centre and Community Hub in the Eastern Urban Extension will be built for several years because of the lack of funding and the present lack of community involvement. In addition a major application has now been submitted from Westcountry Land to provide access and to develop allocated land in a sustainable location in Area B of the Tiverton Easter Urban Extension, where up to 650 houses as well as employment land and a care/residential home are planned. Areas A and B together will eventually provide 1580 to 1830 dwellings. (See above).
*Paragraph 11 of the Revised NPPF, 2024, states that ‘Plans and decisions should apply a presumption in favour of sustainable development’, but Footnote 7 for this paragraph states that policies that protect areas or assets of particular importance provide a strong reason for refusing the development proposed. These include Green Belt and Local Green Spaces.
‘Local green spaces can include parks, gardens, playing fields, and other green spaces that contribute to the local environment and community well-being.’
A reminder- The principal reasons given by the Planning Inspector for dismissing the Hartnoll Appeal in January 2025 are listed below. Much key point 3 below no longer applies because MDDC cannot now demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply, which, as stated above, is the main reason for this renewed application by Waddeton Park:
‘The Redetermined Hartnoll Appeal 21/01576/MOUT by Waddeton Park has been dismissed by the Planning Inspector, Sarah Housden BA (Hons) BPl MRTPI. Her very thorough judgement, which was posted on the Mid Devon Planning Portal for this application on January 27th 2025 can be read at: 21_01576_MOUT-Appeal_decision-2103808
Some key points from this decision are:
- As a sizeable employment and housing mixed-use development outside the Tiverton settlement limit, the appeal scheme as a whole would not fall within any of the development categories listed in Policy S14 that would be permitted in the countryside. ‘The conflict with the development
plan, read as a whole, confers very significant weight against the appeal scheme’. - Although there have been delays in the development of allocated employment sites
in the Tiverton area, there is no overall district wide shortage of employment land.
Further, there is an employment allocation which will accommodate approximately
30,000 square metres at the TEUE. - Policy S2 sets out the amount and distribution of development across the Plan period, with the largest proportion of residential development at Cullompton. Tiverton is expected to expand through the TEUE and a number of smaller allocated sites within the Tiverton settlement limit. It is now common ground between the main parties that there is a 5.22 year supply of land for housing in Tiverton for the 5 year period 2022 – 2027. It has not been demonstrated that the appeal scheme is necessary to address any under delivery of housing delivery over the Local Plan period. (The updated National Planning Policy Framework will require Mid Devon to recalculate the local housing need and the housing requirement from July 2025 and this represents an increase from 393 to 572 dwellings per year. That is a matter for the Council to address at that point, and the appeal is being determined based on the current housing requirement).
- There is still time within the Plan period for access to (TEUE) Area B to be resolved, whether through Area A or an alternative arrangement.
- (Conclusion). The proposal would be contrary to the strategy for the
location of development in the Local Plan, read as a whole. It would not align with the role
of Cullompton as central to the delivery of Policy S2 and would be contrary to the
provisions of Policy S14 which seeks to locate new development within the
settlement limits, whilst permitting certain development types in the countryside
none of which apply in this case. This conflict is of sufficient importance and weight
that the proposal is contrary to the development plan, taken as a whole. ‘In the
circumstances of this appeal, my conclusion is that the material considerations do
not outweigh the conflict with the development plan’. - ‘For the reasons outlined above and having regard to all other matters raised, I
conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.’
The appeal decision supported Mid Devon’s predicted 5 year housing supply figures at that time, ‘the evidence provided by the Council being robust, and drawn from a wide range of sources’. It also rules that major development should not take place outside the settlement boundary while allocated developable land remains within that boundary, in this case Tiverton and the TEUE.
- The policies included in the summary above, and in the full Appeal Decision, can be read in the Mid Devon Local Plan 2013-2033, at https://www.middevon.gov.uk/media/350631/local-plan-review-final-adopted-version_accessible.pdf
Planning Application 25/00961/MFUL|Land at NGR 297512 111044 Rhode Farm Tiverton Devon. Construction of a Clay Lined Slurry Store. Public Access Page
Full details for this application can be found by opening the MDDC Public Access Page, and entering the number above (25/00961/MFUL) on the bottom line.
It is also worth looking at at the ‘in combination’ (linked) application 25/00661/MFUL.
In their first submission on 29th July Devon Highways stated that ‘the inadequate visibility, lack of speed data, absence of enforceable routing, and intensification of use by large vehicles collectively represent an unacceptable impact on highway safety and a potentially severe impact on the local road network. In the absence of further information the highway would recommend refusal’. Although the visibility problem has been resolved by the agreed proposal for larger visibility splays at the entrance to Gogwell Lane, and Devon Highways have reversed their recommendation, the other problems remain and the many excellent objections submitted so far largely concentrate on these issues, while other submissions include the very negative impact on local residents living close to the proposed slurry lagoon (Jessica Vellacott) and the inadequate information about the design of the lagoon and other issues (David Randell), while a further problem would be the likely impact of air pollution on the Tidcombe Lane Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is suggested that future objections might also include some of these further issues.
Reference to the National and Local Planning Policies below might also be referred to as these can all be used to provide strong reasons for refusal of this application:
The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), updated in December 2024,
sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to
be applied. A key aim of the NPPF is to promote sustainable development and regarding
conserving the natural environment. Paragraph 187 states:
“Planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and
local environment by: […]
preventing new and existing development from contributing to, being put at
unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of soil,
air, water or noise pollution or land instability. Development should, wherever
possible, help to improve local environmental conditions such as air and water quality,
taking into account relevant information such as river basin management plans”.
Paragraph 198 relates to the appropriate siting of development and the assessment of
cumulative effects. It states:
“Planning policies and decisions should also ensure that new development is
appropriate for its location taking into account the likely effects (including cumulative
effects) of pollution on health, living conditions and the natural environment, as well
as the potential sensitivity of the site or the wider area to impacts that could arise
from the development.”
Mid Devon Local Plan 2013-2033 Policy DM4
(Pollution) states that:
‘Applications for development that risks negatively impacting on the quality of the environment
through noise, odour, light, air, water, land and other forms of pollution must be accompanied by a
pollution impact assessment and mitigation scheme where necessary. Development will be permitted
where the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of pollution will not have an unacceptable negative
impact on health, the natural environment and general amenity’.
Mid Devon Local Plan 2013-2033 Policy DM20
(Agricultural Development)
states that ‘Agricultural development will be permitted where:
a)The development is reasonably necessary to support farming activity on that farm or in the
immediate agricultural community;
b)The development is sensitively located to limit any adverse effects on the living conditions of
local residents and is well-designed, respecting the character and appearance of the area;
c) The development will not have an unacceptable adverse impact on the environment; and
d) The development will not have an unacceptable traffic impact on the local road network’.
The Air Quality Assessment for the current application, when looking at the impact of the proposed Slurry Lagoon on the Tidcombe Fan SSS1 concludes that:
5.7 ‘Significantly adverse impacts on the integrity of the Tidcombe Lane SSSI could not be
screened out, either alone or in-combination with other developments. Therefore, an
appropriately qualified and experienced ecologist, or Natural England, may need to review the
modelling results to assess the potential for adverse effects on the SSSI’s integrity’.
UPDATE. (Thanks to Paul Ellstone)
COW SLURRY AND SLURRY TANKER WEIGHT; ROAD TRANSPORT
REGULATIONS (LEGISLATION).
The Rhode Farm, Tiverton slurry lagoon planning application 25/00961/FULL Transport Statement states that either 3,500 or 4,000 gallon slurry tankers will be used to transport12.8 million gallons of cow slurry per year from Bycott Farm Lower Town Halberton to Gogwell Lane, Newtes Hill Tiverton.
Calculations using available data reveals that should these tankers be loaded to capacity they would grossly exceed road safety weight regulations. Something that is strongly believed is already happening and with road and pedestrian safety risk resulting including at the Blundells School Campus.
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use Amendment 2015): ‘for an agricultural trailer or agricultural trailed appliance, the legislation states that the maximum loaded weight on a public road should be no more than 18.29 Tonnes. This limit applies even if the manufacturer’s plate indicates a higher capacity. This is to ensure tractor stability and control over the machine and (overloading can) even lead to fatal incidents. Exceeding these limits is an offence and can result in fines or court summons, as well as being a significant safety risk. Aside from prosecution, overloading an agricultural machine is also a major health and safety risk and should be avoided in all circumstances. The maximum trailer weight is 18.29 tons regardless of what tractors you have.’
“It is the farmer and contractor’s responsibility to know how much their machine weighs,”
The Impact of Heavier Vehicles. ‘Heavier vehicles typically produce more emissions, cause greater wear and tear on the roads and critically pose a significantly higher risk in the event of a road collision.’ (Birmingham City Council).
A typical slurry tanker. Image © Jane Gurney/Tilly Pass.
‘The consequences of non-compliance
Knowing and adhering to the correct weight limit for your tanker is paramount, as non-compliance can cost operators and businesses dearly. Depending on the amount of excess weight, penalties can include a fine, points on the operator’s licence, or a court summons for a serious offence. The type of penalty issued will be at the discretion of the officer who stops the vehicle.
A spokesperson for the DVSA, quoted by That’s Farming, said: “Normally, a fixed penalty would be inappropriate for serious cases of overloading.
“For example, when the vehicle is overloaded by 30% and over, or the excess weight is 5 tonnes, a court summons would be issued instead.
“If the excess weight and the way the load is carried is having a significant impact on road safety, for example, serious instability or loss of control, these other offences will mean a court summons. The excess weight would be part of the offence/s,” the spokesperson concluded.
Aside from prosecution, overloading an agricultural machine is also a major health and safety risk and should be avoided in all circumstances. Overloading can make a vehicle less stable, increase maintenance costs, reduce the operator’s control over the machine and even lead to fatal incidents.
Slurry tanker safety information
In order for their tanker to be adequately covered by insurance, farmers must make sure:
- It is well maintained and in good working order
- The tanker can brake for itself
- All operators are suitably trained and have the correct license
- The tanker is being towed at the correct speed
- The tanker is not overfilled and is under the legal weight limit
- Daily and weekly checks are carried out.’ (Farmer’s Guide 21.09.2022)
Calculations that reveal a fully loaded 4,000-gallon slurry tanker would weigh 25.77 Tonnes or 7.48 Tonnes or 40% in excess of the legal limit. This means that, to comply with the legislation, the figures for this application need to be completely revised, resulting in a considerably greater number of journeys than those stated. Trailer loads of slurry from Bycott Farm need t be regularly checked to ensure compliance with the legislation.
Is the Slurry Lagoon at this Location Necessary and Sustainable? The Public Health Consultation succinctly confirms issues which many already feel. ‘We do want to raise the question of sustainability. The design and access statement includes a comment that “slurry cannot be stored at Bycott”. But at the moment there are already 1800 housed cattle and the slurry is stored next to the buildings in an open lagoon. So what has changed? Is there land adjacent (perhaps where the AD plant had been proposed) where a larger covered slurry pit could be located? This would take away the need for many tractor and tanker movements through Halberton and along the transport route. It does seem to be unusual for such
large volumes of slurry to be transported several miles to a lagoon, only to be brought back again
for spreading – at the moment only a proportion of the slurry needs to leave the farm.
We raise these questions so that the farm can provide a clearer justification of the wider picture
and why the slurry store needs to be located so far away on this isolated site’
Tiverton Civic Society Objection to 25. 00961.MFUL
(Submitted on November 30th 2025).
Tidcombe Appeal (24/00045/MOUT)
For all documents related to this application, please see:
https://planning.middevon.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage
Tiverton Civic Society’s extra comments, sent to the Inspector, are: Statement for Tidcombe Appeal
See below for our comments made when the original decision had been reached by the MDDC Planning Committee on July 1st 2024.
Tiverton Civic Society Statement to the Inquiry on May 20th: Tiverton Society Representation 20 May 2025 (3)
The effective Closing Statements composed and read out by Vicky Pugh and Goff Welchman can be downloaded and opened by clicking on the link below. Other documents, including the Closing Statements by the Appellants and Mid Devon District Council, can be read for this application on the MDDC Planning Portal by following the link at the top of this Page.
Update June 24th
The Planning Inspector has now issued his decision, which allows the Appeal by Tidcombe Holdings LLP against MDDC’s original refusal of this application, as well as his decision concerning the partial award of costs to the appellant: 24-00045-MOUT (3)
This application was strongly opposed by a very large number of organisations and individuals, several of whom worked extremely hard during the Inquiry in the hope of achieving a different result. The outcome, while not entirely unexpected, is regrettable. Reasons for the decision include MDDC’s present and projected shortfall in housing land supply, as well as the fact that the TIV13 contingency site, which is outside the settlement boundary for Tiverton, is included in the Mid Devon Local Plan 2013-2033. The Inspector is also very critical of some aspects of MDDC’s position, especially as stated in the Costs Decision. He concludes that the scheme would cause ‘a low level of less than substantial damage to the significance of the conservation area’ and ‘a moderate level of less than substantial harm’ to Tidcombe Farmhouse. He considers that these impacts would be outweighed by the public benefits, notably the restoration of Tidcombe Hall and the contribution to local housing needs.
The Outline Application having been allowed the Applicants will now need to make a full Deferred Matters Application, which will include detailed design of the housing and layout of the scheme, and this will need to be approved before it can go ahead. The MDDC Planning Committee deliberations will be an opportunity for all those interested and concerned to ensure that the development reaches the highest possible standards, and that the conditions are strictly adhered to.
A Further Planning Application from Hartnoll Farm/ Red Linhay.
Red Linhay Continued Operation of Existing Anaerobic Digester Plant Without Previous Limitations on Power Output, Feedstocks and Tonnages – Planning Reference 24/01847/MFUL
Redrow Homes
23/00394/MARM | Reserved matters for the erection of up to 122 dwellings, public open space, landscaping, drainage, pedestrian, cycle and vehicular links and associated infrastructure following outline approval 14/00881/MOUT | Land at NGR 298120 113015 Blundells Grange Blundells Road Tiverton Devon.
This much delayed application was given planning permission by the MDDC Planning Committee at their meeting on February 12th.
The Start of a Better Future for Old Blundell’s?
Planning Application 25/00064/LBC|Listed Building Consent for conversion of kitchen to wc area for staff and visitor use
Deterioration of the condition of this important Grade 1 building, which is owned by the National Trust, has frequently been highlighted in recent years, especially by members of this society, and in our Newsletters for October 2023 and October 2024. Does this small application herald the beginning of a brighter future for the building? This initiative ‘forms part of a long term vision to revitalise Old Blundell’s as a community hub which will gradually develop the building into a visitor attraction centred around the restoration of the historic schoolrooms.’ Progress has been minimal since a Conservation Management Plan was completed in 2016, but, as stated in the Heritage Statement, this is ‘ a small but important step toward building community engagement and developing long-term uses that can then inform the future vision.’ Promising words, but we now need more urgent action and community engagement!
Redetermined Hartnoll Appeal
The Redermined Hartnoll Appeal 21/01576/MOUT by Waddeton Park has been dismissed by the Planning Inspector, Sarah Housden BA (Hons) BPl MRTPI. Her very thorough judgement, which was posted on the Mid Devon Planning Portal for this application on January 27th, can be read at: 21_01576_MOUT-Appeal_decision-2103808
Some key points from this decision are:
- As a sizeable employment and housing mixed-use development outside the Tiverton settlement limit, the appeal scheme as a whole would not fall within any of the development categories listed in Policy S14 that would be permitted in the countryside. ‘The conflict with the development
plan, read as a whole, confers very significant weight against the appeal scheme’. - Although there have been delays in the development of allocated employment sites
in the Tiverton area, there is no overall district wide shortage of employment land.
Further, there is an employment allocation which will accommodate approximately
30,000 square metres at the TEUE. - Policy S2 sets out the amount and distribution of development across the Plan period, with the largest proportion of residential development at Cullompton. Tiverton is expected to expand through the TEUE and a number of smaller allocated sites within the Tiverton settlement limit. It is now common ground between the main parties that there is a 5.22 year supply of land for housing in Tiverton for the 5 year period 2022 – 2027. It has not been demonstrated that the appeal scheme is necessary to address any under delivery of housing delivery over the Local Plan period. (The updated National Planning Policy Framework will require Mid Devon to recalculate the local housing need and the housing requirement from July 2025 and this represents an increase from 393 to 572 dwellings per year. That is a matter for the Council to address at that point, and the appeal is being determined based on the current housing requirement).
- There is still time within the Plan period for access to (TEUE) Area B to be resolved, whether through Area A or an alternative arrangement.
- (Conclusion). The proposal would be contrary to the strategy for the
location of development in the Local Plan, read as a whole. It would not align with the role
of Cullompton as central to the delivery of Policy S2 and would be contrary to the
provisions of Policy S14 which seeks to locate new development within the
settlement limits, whilst permitting certain development types in the countryside
none of which apply in this case. This conflict is of sufficient importance and weight
that the proposal is contrary to the development plan, taken as a whole. ‘In the
circumstances of this appeal, my conclusion is that the material considerations do
not outweigh the conflict with the development plan’. - ‘For the reasons outlined above and having regard to all other matters raised, I
conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.’
The appeal decision supports Mid Devon’s predicted 5 year housing supply figures, ‘the evidence provided by the Council being robust, and drawn from a wide range of sources’. It also rules that major development should not take place outside the settlement boundary while allocated developable land remains within that boundary, in this case Tiverton and the TEUE.
- The policies included in the summary above, and in the full Appeal Decision, can be read in the Mid Devon Local Plan 2013-2033, at https://www.middevon.gov.uk/media/350631/local-plan-review-final-adopted-version_accessible.pdf
A Controversial New Major Planning Application!
24/01594/MFUL | Erection of a 3 storey 66 bed residential care home (Class C2) for the elderly with associated communal and care facilities; erection of a three storey 50-unit retirement living building (Class C3) with associated communal facilities; vehicular access from College View, internal access roads, car parking, substation, refuse stores and hard and soft landscaped grounds | Sports Field at NGR 295372 113642 Bolham Road Tiverton Devon
This application is for a large field, east of Bolham Road, owned by Petroc, which is designated in the Mid Devon Local Plan 2013-2033 as land for the future expansion of Tiverton High School. A previous, withdrawn, application, 20/00832/MOUT for the building of 60 homes on this site was also strongly opposed by Sport England because of the potential loss of valuable playing fields: ‘The site is a large playing field with potential to be marked out for cricket and football/rugby (2 xadult pitches). Other sports like lacrosse, rounders, baseball etc could all use this site to ensure continued sporting use of the site.
The site would also be a fantastic opportunity for use as playing fields by Tiverton High School…..
weight should also be given to the Council’s own Local Plan policies that seek
to protect open space, sport and recreation.
The present Tiverton High School buildings and playing fields are located in Flood Zone 2, whereas only a small proportion of the application site is. Now that the green light has been given for the rebuilding of Tiverton High School, the planning application site would be ideal for future expansion of the school in a town which continues to grow rapidly. Use of the site for the proposed land uses would also severely impact the plans for a new Tiverton Community Arts Theatre..
Tiverton Town Council opposed the previously withdrawn application: ‘Tiverton Town Council opposes this application because the area is designated for sporting activities. This does not conform to the Mid Devon Local Plan and there are concerns relating to access and also additional traffic that this proposal would generate’.
Writing on behalf of Tiverton High School, Jim Sowden’s objections to the present application include the following: .’Our concerns are:
1. The adjacency of a care facility and retirement complex to a large secondary
school (up to 1800 students) and the ongoing issues of managing the relationship
between lively teenagers and residents of the proposed sheltered
accommodation.
2. The loss to the community (forever) of land currently designated for
educational/sporting use. Does this fit with current Mid Devon Planning policy
or the requirements of the neighbourhood plan?
3. The new school is planned for up to 1800 students. The proposed buildings only
just fit onto the site available with no break-out space or room for expansion.
Devon County Council (DCC) are aware of this issue and it would be ideal if
they were to purchase the Petroc field in order to increase the options for
developing a new secondary school. We hope that representatives from the
Tiverton community will make representations to DCC in this respect’.
Tiverton Civic Society have submitted a strong objection to this application:
TCS Objection to McCarthy and Stone Planning Application 24.01594.MFUL 2024
Update August 2025.
Sport England have rejected proposed mitigation proposals submitted on behalf of the applicant for this site and they have fully confirmed their opposition to this application:
‘Sport England maintains the objection to this planning application in light of the
Playing Fields Policy and the National Planning Policy Framework. In our
assessment it has not been demonstrated to accord with Policy Exceptions
contained with the Sport England Playing Field Policy or paragraph 104 of the
National Planning Policy Framework’. (Posted July 29th 2025)
Mid Devon Corporate Plan 2024-2028
Please click the link below to access this plan.
MDDC corporate-plan-2024-2028_-final
Devon County Council Planning Application DCC/4358/2023. Proposed Temporary Inert Landfill Facility at Greenway, Halberton.Updates
Following the recommendation for refusal outlined above the application was unanimously refused by the Devon County Council Development Management Committee at their meeting on Wednesday, October 23rd 2024. Congratulations to all who have so vigorously opposed this development for their perseverance and eventual victory! It is difficult to see that an appeal would be successful in overturning this decision.
.
23/01798/FULL | Variation of Condition 9 to allow alternative feedstock types and quantity and Condition 20 to allow the anaerobic digester plant to produce and export 1.1 megawatts of renewable energy of planning permission 17/01142/FULL | Land at NGR 299621 112764 (Red Linhay) Crown Hill Halberton Devon
Enforcement ‘Planning enforcement sits at the heart of the planning system. Without it, planning legislation is meaningless………….The current situation faced by enforcement teams is hugely challenging as low skills, a lack of staff and tight financial constraints have weakened the service. This undermines the planning system as a whole and negatively affects members of the public who rely on its integrity’. (Royal Town Planning Institute, November 2022).
Mid Devon, like many Local Authorities, has found it enormously difficult to recruit new enforcement officers, and only one enforcement worker is responsible for tackling 300 breaches.
One example highlighted recently is the Anaerobic Digester at the Red Linhay, Halberton, which has been producing more than double the permitted, conditioned, amount of power for more than six years.
‘The purpose of Conditions 9 and 20 of (Planning Application)17/01142/FULL was to minimise and make
acceptable the impact of operation of the AD on the environment, on neighbouring residents
and the road network. These conditions have essentially remained unchanged since the
start of operation in 2017 and the reasons for the conditions have remained unchanged.
The AD has been operated in breach of these two conditions since August 2017. In
particular, the Condition 20 power limit of 500kW averaged over a quarterly period has been
exceeded by a factor of greater than two for most of the quarterly periods since 2017. The
Local Planning Authority has been in receipt of these quarterly records and is aware that the
AD has been operating in breach of these conditions for over 6 years. The Local Planning
Authority has done nothing to enforce these conditions, and it is increasingly likely that this type of non-compliance with conditions set will become increasingly widespread . The results of this non-compliance with conditions are far from negligible with unacceptable noise due to the continuous operation of both Combined Heat and Power(CHP) units rather than only one needed for operation under Condition 20, and poor air quality and a strong smell, which affects neighbours and users of the Grand Western Canal, as well as traffic nuisance and disruption caused by the increased transport movements in breach of Condition 9. (CPRE Devon)
The owner of the AD plant is now seeking to normalise the non-permitted breach of these planning conditons. Please see the current Planning Application 23/01798/FULL,
This application highlights the flagrant non-observance of planning conditions by the applicant, and the lack of effective enforcement of these conditions, recently highlighted in the local media
This application was refused Planning Permission on 22nd January 2024
Yet Another Retrospective Planning Application at Hartnoll Farm!
Much of this application site lies beyond the authorised boundary of the Hartnoll Business Centre, and outside the existing bund. It consists of an unsightly collection of storage containers, boats etc., which are clearly visible from the Grand Western Canal Country Park. Tiverton Civic Society opposes this application, and we submitted this objection: Comments for Planning Application 23. 01428.FULL
This application was refused Planning Permission by MDDC on January 19th 2024. The reasons for refusal are available.
A Further Threat to the Lowman Valley, Tiverton’s Green Wildlife Corridor? (See below for ‘Elmore Football Club, Aldi and Crazelowman’, and also ‘Horsdon Development 22/01098/MOUT’. Minor Flooding in the River Lowman Valley at Crazelowman, January 2023.
Minor Flooding in the Lowman Valley at Crazelowman, January 2023
Elmore Football Club, Aldi and Crazelowman.
Two imminent and potentially controversial Planning Applications have been widely trailed in recent weeks. especially after the Screening Option Opinion outlined below as submitted in November, 2022.
- An application by Aldi UK to purchase the complete site of Elmore Football Club in Heathcoat Way, and to develop the site for a new supermarket and related infrastructure, including a large car park.
- An application by Elmore Football Club to acquire two large fields alongside the A361 and adjacent to the River Lowman and the hamlet of Crazelowman, in the civil parish of Tiverton. The existing football club, including club buildings, two football pitches, two covered stands and a car park would be reestablished at this site. Security fencing, floodlights and other infrastructure would also be included.
Screening Options
A request for a Screening Option Opinion was submitted on 4th November 2022 for this site: 22/01892/SCR | Request for a Screening Opinion in respect of relocation of Elmore Football Club | Land at NGR 298581 113937 West of Uplowman Road/North of A361 Crazelowman Devon. The outline for the proposed application is stated as:
‘Relocation of Elmore FC including provision of 5 football pitches, clubhouse, 2 covered stands, a community hub building, car park, floodlighting and soft landscaping’
A previous request was submitted in 2013 for a solar park on the same site:13/00078/SCR | Request for screening opinion in respect of a solar park | Land at NGR 298581 113937 Crazelowman Devon
The remaining documents and photographs concerning these potential applications have been temporarily deleted. Relevant sections will be restored when and if the applications are submitted.
However, it is very unlikely that these deeply flawed applications will ever be pursued!
Uplowman Road Application 22/01255/MFUL
Erection of 70 affordable dwellings including associated roads, footpaths, landscaping and amenity area | Land at NGR 298768 113600 Uplowman Road Tiverton Devon has been submitted. Full details can be accessed at: 70 Affordable Dwellings
Although we appreciate some aspects of this application, we have other concerns, and we have submitted a 22.01255.MFUL Letter of Objection. July 2022
The application was unanimously approved by the MDDC Planning Committee on October 5th, 2022.
However, following the Three Rivers problem, and the resultant loss of £21Million, MDDC have announced that this will not be a PassivHaus one, and will be by a different builder to a cheaper and more tradtional design
We remained concerned about the very limited access of this development to schools and retail outlets, especially because the planned TEUE local centre, including a new Primary School, may not be viable following the MDDC’s Cabinet’s recent announcement that the full A361 junction is unaffordable.
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A new builder for these affordable homes has been appointed, and it is likely that construction will start early in 2025
Tiverton Civic Society 