Residents have been left gob-smacked after the forced closure of an ‘unsafe’ junction, which will leave a major housing development with only one access road.

The junction at Larkspur Drive (pictured), Newton Abbot – part of the Hele Park development – has been left with a substantially obstructed view due to a blunder with a nearby garden wall.

As of Monday, November 11, the junction will be closed to motorists with bollards being installed by Persimmon Homes, who have received an order from Teignbridge council to remove access to vehicles.

Cllr Phil Bullivant said: ‘I have been visiting homes and gathering views from many of those affected.

‘There are two basic opinions, one happy to close the exit, mainly by residents closest to the junction, and secondly, very concerned residents who will no longer be able to exit their estates unless they use the other single exit.

‘Of the 400-plus homes affected, more than 80 per cent want the Larkspur Drive exit to be made safe by Persimmons and retained’ said Cllr Bullivant.

The only remaining access to the development will be the bottleneck junction of Meadow Rise, which adjoins the Ashburton Road.

Devon County Council planning rules require all new housing developments with 300 or more properties to have at least two access roads. As such, the closure of the junction will be in breach this condition, but the closure of Larkspur Drive is to go ahead nevertheless.

John Simon, who purchased his home more than two years ago, was told that a further access road – Crainsbill Way – would be open within months. But two and a half years later it remains closed off to public use.

‘I can’t believe that after all this time there still isn’t proper access for so many homes’ said John.

‘I was told this would all be sorted when I purchased my home but now it’s going to get even worse for a some time.’

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes said: ‘Planning at Lemon Grove required both vehicular access and emergency access routes before the development link road being completed. Residents were allowed to use the emergency route during construction.

‘Persimmon Homes is complying with an instruction by the council to officially close the emergency route to traffic.’

Devon County Council, who were consulted by Teignbridge, said: ‘Planning permission for the development was granted with one access at Meadow Rise and one emergency access at Mile End, which would also be a temporary construction access during the work. Further planning permission from Teignbridge District Council is needed to turn this into an access.

‘We made several recommendations to improve the safety of the road, including increasing the visibility at the junction.’

In support of the junction closure, Cllr Bullivant said: ‘An unsafe exit must be closed and Teignbridge District Council have the responsibility to do this.

‘However, until the additional exit is available the peak time use of Meadow Rise and its access onto the Ashburton Road will be a significant problem with Meadow Rise becoming a major thoroughfare, something it was not designed to be.’

As it stands, the development will have only one entrance until works are completed on an adjacent Redrow Homes development in August.