A DEVELOPER’S detailed plans for 134 houses on the outskirts of Okehampton have been approved by West Devon Borough Council, despite widespread reservations about their density and design.

The proposals from ADPAD and Hannard Developments are part of a larger development of 375 houses north of Crediton Road which obtained planning permission in principle (outline permission) back in 2015.

The separate applications for 111, 17 and six houses were put forward as a package to WDBC for planning permission for ‘reserved matters’ — the detail of the design and layout.

Both Okehampton Town Council and Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council objected to the plans, WDBC’s development management and licensing committee heard.

Okehampton Hamlets council objected on the grounds of density, a lack of visitor parking spaces and a lack of places for vehicles to turn, as well as the lack of community facilities other than a general store.

Okehampton Town Council said the design of the houses were not in keeping with those typical of the local area. Both councils said they did not want a repeat of the ‘white boxes’ of Meldon Fields housing estate on the other side of Crediton Road.

A statement read out on behalf of Okehampton borough and town councillor Tony Leech, not present at the meeting on Tuesday last week (April 23), said: ‘What we already have up there is a disgrace and we should all be ashamed of allowing it to happen. It is a blot on the landscape of this wonderful part of Devon. Let’s not rub salt into the wounds and allow more of the same to go ahead.’

He quoted the song ‘Little Boxes’ by Pete Seeger.

Cllr Bill Cann objected to the low number of affordable housing units in the application for 111 houses.

‘Out of 111 residential units, the developers have only put in 12 affordable housing units, that’s pretty sad, isn’t it?’ he said.

He was told by council officers that the majority of the Section 106 agreement money, which the developers must provide as a condition of planning permission, was going towards education and building a link road between Crediton Road and Exeter Road to serve all the new housing being built east of Okehampton.

A turkey oak alongside the development beside Crediton Road would be safe, council officers assured. Residents on the estate opposite obtained a Tree Preservation Order on it to protect it from being felled.

Despite objections from others at the meeting, the committee unanimously voted to approve the plans.