A PROPOSAL for 72 properties next to the new Okehampton Hospital site has been deferred for a second time for further negotiations with developers.
Planning officers have requested a provision of 20 per cent affordable housing on the site off the North Road link but have so far only been offered two properties by Barratt Homes.
West Devon Borough Council's planning committee deferred the item at a meeting last week to allow further discussion to take place and clarification from the district valuer on the extent of the financial contribution developers are making towards the new hospital.
Barratts say they will be heavily investing in infrastructure in terms of drainage and the shared access road to the hospital and housing site which has resulted in cost savings to the Hospital Trust of approximately £150,000.
The planning committee will be asked to take this contribution into account when considering the amount of affordable housing being offered.
Social housing has been identified as a priority in Okehampton.
The application by Barratt Homes is for 48 houses and 24 flats and the borough council is asking for 14 of these to be social housing.
Barratts employed hospital architect Nigel Grainge to design the scheme — considered to be of a higher quality than many housing schemes today.