A DEVELOPER has asked whether it needs to complete an environmental impact assessment ahead of submitting plans for 130 new homes in Tavistock.

A screening opinion request has been submitted to the council on behalf of housing company Land Value Alliances (LVA) LLP, to identify whether an environmental impact assessment is necessary for the land east and west of Violet Lane, before the submission of an outline planning application for up to 130 dwellings, public open space, new access point from Mount Tavy Road and ancillary works in the near future.

The requirement for an environmental impact assessment may apply to this development because it falls under the category of ‘urban development projects’ and because the overall development site exceeds five hectares (the site overall will be 7.46 hectares). However, the agent, on behalf of the applicant, considered an environmental impact assessment unnecessary.

In the screening opinion application form, the agent stated: ‘We have identified the characteristics of the development, including its size, potential cumulative effects, use of natural resources and other environmental factors and have concluded that the development would not warrant the need for an environmental impact assessment to be undertaken.

‘The application site would not impact significantly on any environmentally sensitive receptors in the area and it has no direct impact on any specifically designated areas.’

The agent also said they had considered all other relevant factors in respect to transportation and accessibility, flood risk and drainage, landscape, ecology and trees, archaeology and heritage, socio-economics, air and noise and environmental management and concluded that an environmental impact assessment would not be necessary.

The development site is formed from three separate field parcels east and west of Violet Lane.

The land is not allocated within the currently adopted local plan, nor the emerging Joint Local Plan and lies outside the settlement boundary.

The agent said that a technical team had been instructed to begin preliminary assessments of the site in terms of highways, drainage, ground conditions, landscape, ecology, trees and more.

They said: ‘In conjunction with the screening request we have submitted a request for pre-application advice and will shortly be consulting with local ward members, the town council and members of the Dartmoor National Park Authority to open a dialogue with key stakeholders.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

‘Wider public consultation will follow in late autumn.’