West Devon Borough Council is calling on the developer behind a controversial development off Plymouth Road to show its hand and reveal which of two planning applications it intends to go ahead with – as the bulldozers move in.

Baker Estates has now started highways work on the entrance to the site in Tavistock, but the council says the developer has not revealed to the community which planning application it is carrying out.

One permission, which the council’s planning authority approved, is for 44 homes – mainly bungalows – and an extra care facility for up to 60 units of accommodation, probably flats, which the council says would be affordable, providing sheltered accommodation with nursing support.

Another application, which the council refused but for which the developer obtained planning approval on appeal, is for the same amount of housing but with land for business units or other employment.

Meanwhile, the work, on the Tavistock bound lane of Plymouth Road, approaching Lidl, is adding to traffic congestion in both directions in combination with gas works up to Pixon Lane.

The council says it was disappointed by the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to overturn its choice to only approve the planning application which would have provided essential assisted living in Tavistock.

 The council says the part of the site on which either the commercial land or the extra care building would be sited require additional planning consents – called reserved matters – before being allowed to go ahead. 

Cllr Mark Renders, West Devon Borough Council’s lead member for housing, said: “We were extremely frustrated and disappointed with the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to grant the employment land application. We firmly believe we made the right decision at the planning committee meeting for the residents of Tavistock, to provide a much-needed assisted living provision for the area. It really does feel like this is a case of profit before the needs of people and communities, which is disappointing.”

 He acknowledged commercial space is needed to support the local economy, but said that was not the greatest need for the site: “We are disappointed that despite work on the site commencing that Baker Estates have not confirmed formally which one of the planning permissions is being developed and really believe the community has a right to know and should be informed, by Baker Estates, as a matter of urgency.”

Graham Hutton, of Baker Estates, said he was ‘extremely surprised’ to read the council’s press statement, which ‘misrepresents the situation’: “We have proactively engaged with the council throughout the process and have been trying for months to get a meeting with their senior officers to discuss the next steps. It is disappointing therefore, that they have chosen to engage with the press rather than us. We will consider how to respond and comment further in due course.”