THE first stage of the major housing development planned for land adjacent to Exeter Road Industrial Estate is now fully underway.

Linden Homes, the team overseeing the development plan, received planning approval from West Devon Borough Council for the first phase of 20 homes off Baldwin Drive in February. Work has started on this first phase of the development, including the opening of a show home on the site.

It is the first phase of a plan to build 328 homes on the site, ranging in style and size. The second phase of 308 homes was given the go-ahead in June.

Nigel Palmer, Linden Homes managing director said: 'We look forward to making new homes available at Abbeyford Rise. Our aim is to create a community of low maintenance, efficient homes, with unique recreational and amenity facilities on the doorstep.'

Built from brick and render, the houses have been styled in an effort to complement existing buildings in Okehampton.

Architect Mark Timms from LHC said: 'This is not an off-the-shelf design, but a carefully considered project, designed to create a sense of place and identity by integrating the architecture, public realm and wider landscape setting, which I hope will benefit the local community.

'As far as the style of the properties, they will be contemporary but 'restrained', to reflect the unpretentious character of existing properties in Okehampton.'

Two and a half acres of the 20 acre site will become open public space, and as part of the conditions Linden Homes must construct the first portion of the link road planned between Exeter Road and Crediton Road.

There is also to be a spine road passing through the development, linking it with the Persimmons Homes development to the north of the site. The 308 homes will be built in three further phases.