‘Dramatic improvement’ paves the way for Paignton homes go-ahead

Fresh plans for a controversial housing scheme on the outskirts of Paignton have been described as ‘fantastic’

Members of Torbay Council’s planning committee have given their unanimous backing to the latest version of plans from Cavanna Homes for the 100 homes it plans to build on green fields at Collaton St Mary.
The company already has outline permission to build, dating back to 2019, but came back to the committee for approval for the details of its plans.
And members heard that Cavanna had worked with planning officers in the interim on a series of improvements including better landscaping and better facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.
Developers also made changes to the design of the homes and some of the materials being used to build them..
The homes will be up to three storeys high and there will be 30 units of ‘affordable’ housing.
Local residents had raised concerns earlier in the planning process about access to the site, saying that having an entrance from the busy Totnes Road close to the Parkers Arms pub would be dangerous.
However, the latest meeting of the planning committee was only looking at the details of the project, having already passed it in principle more than two years ago.
On behalf of Cavanna Homes, Andrew Rowe told the meeting there would be a significant amount of public open space, along with allotments and a community orchard.
“This is a well-designed development that represents an improvement against the currently-approved scheme.”
Collaton St Mary ward councillor Martin Brook (Con), who chairs the planning committee, said residents, planning officers and developers had worked together to create a ‘dramatic improvement’.
“I was so glad to see a huge change and a softening of the impact on current residents,” he said.
Cllr Nick Pentney (Lib Dem, Tormohun) said it was a ‘fantastic’ application and Cllr Adam Billings (Con, Churston with Galmpton) added: “The change from what we saw in May 2023 compared to what we have now is considerable.
“There aren’t that many large development schemes that come before this committee where I think ‘I could live there – that looks nice’, but this is one of those.
“It is a really attractive and desirable scheme.”