A document published mistakenly on the web has revealed that Newton Abbot farmer Anthony Rew apparently has ambitions to bring about major house building in open countryside south of the town.

His plans could include a new road linking Wolborough Hill, Decoy Country Park and the town centre.

Mr Rew has already courted controversy by applying to build two homes on Church Fields, the Wolborough Hill beauty spot which hundreds of people have launched a campaign to protect.

The disclosure that he seems to wish to press ahead with much greater plans follows news last week that the proposed Kingskerswell bypass could get £500,000 of Teignbridge tax payers' cash, partly to promote the 'southern option' for commercial and residential development in the direction of Wolborough via the creation of a new junction at Aller.

The district authority has already paid Mr Rew £100,000 for land next to Decoy Industrial Estate.

This week, neither Mr Rew nor his agent were available for comment, but Teignbridge deputy chief executive Phil Shears said nothing had been agreed and that it was a landowner's right to suggest future development.

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