CONTROVERSIAL plans to build homes on a meadow with a rare type of ‘species rich’ grassland have suffered a setback.

At Tuesday’s Teignbridge Council Planning Committee meeting, detailed plans for 22 new homes on a Bovey Tracey site with a ‘rare’ grassland known as MG5 were rejected.

However, outline planning permission for the build remains in place.

In 2018 plans for 30 homes to be built on land to the north of Indio House were refused, but were subsequently overturned on appeal from the applicant, KACH Developments. 

Planning officers had recommended approval for the design of the 22 homes.The reserved matters planning application – which is normally intended to approve finer details of developments – was rejected on grounds relating to damage to the landscape and ecology. 

The meeting turned into a tussle over planning procedures and conflicting external advice from the applicant and the side of the objectors.

The application had been deferred by a month to allow time for a site visit. Something that passionate objector, Cllr Avril Kerswell was thankful to planning officers for. 

She said: ‘Biodiversity should be at the fore of our decision making… we must protect this ecosystem.’ 

Cllr Kerswell took the opportunity to remind the committee that the district had declared a climate emergency. 

However, planning officers and the applicant’s development consultant, Nicole Stacey, said that the time to raise concerns over the grassland was over, given that outline permission was already granted. ‘These matters are “not” for consideration for this application, said Nicole Stacey. Furthermore, it was claimed by the applicants’ own ecologist that the MG5 was in fact ‘not uncommon’ in Devon. 

Cllr Andrew McGregor took aim at some of the ecological advice in favour of the development, which he frankly sumarised as ‘daft.’ 

Planning committee chairman, Cllr Mike Haines, said that while he recognised the site may well be a rich habitat there was no legal protection for MG5 grassland in and of itself. 

He said: ‘I’ve read documents from Natural England about how such a grassland can be protected legally. 

‘It can become a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), or it can be purchased by a wildlife trust or  stewardship scheme – but none of these have been done.’

Cllr George Gribble announced his objection to the scheme in line with the view of Bovey Tracey Town Councils’ concerns. 

Cllr Jackie Hook agreed that although she had concerns with much of the application, the committee were bound to follow regulations, in light of outline permission already being granted. She highlighted that refusing this reserved matters application would not mean the development would not go-ahead eventually.

An initial motion for refusal of the plans called by Cllr Kerswell was inconclusive, with seven votes in favour and seven against. However, Cllr Haines then called an alternative motion for approval of the plans which, oddly, came out as nine against, with five votes in favour.

Chairman Mike Haines highlighted that it can sometimes be confusing, given that members are asked to hit the ‘yes’ button in order  to say ‘no’ to an application. 

The committee then re-called Cllr Kerswell’s motion for refusal of the scheme which was carried with nine votes in favour of refusing the plans. 

The applicant now has the option to appeal and/or come back with an updated application.