A £2.5 million shot in the arm to regenerate a key Newton Abbot site has been announced today by delighted Teignbridge councillors. ?The district authority will benefit from Land Release Fund (LRF) money to fulfil long-cherished ambitions to give new life to land it owns at Bradley Lane. ?The announcement came from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Housing Minister Dominic Raab as part of a £45million cash injection for community projects across the UK. ?Bradley Lane Industrial Estate has been on a Teignbridge wish-list for accommodating improved employment facilities, office space and some housing. ?The area is earmarked in the Local Plan for development including 170 homes and a mix of business uses.

But because it’s a Brownfield site there are some issues to overcome before spades can go in the ground. ?These include dealing with possible contamination and remediation from previous industrial use and putting in additional flood prevention measures.

The council says the LRF bonanza will support Teignbridge in overcoming the obstacles.

Council leader Jeremy Christophers is delighted by the development.

‘This is absolutely fantastic news for Teignbridge. Bradley Lane is in our Local Plan and is an area we are eager to get cracking on.

‘This gives us an opportunity to move on our ambition for Newton Abbot and get stuck into the work more quickly.’

He added: ‘What we are excited about is the potential for creating new homes particularly for people to get onto the property ladder.

‘One of the reasons the council was awarded this money is because it has a proven record of delivering for the people of Teignbridge and this marks another positive and exciting step in the right direction.’?Local ward councillor Jackie Hook shared the excitement.

She said: ‘This is great. The regeneration of the Bradley Lane area has been long-awaited. Affordable housing near the town centre is needed and will be popular with all age groups.

‘We need to mindful that there are existing uses at Bradley Lane that are providing much needed jobs, and that an agreed solution for those uses must be found. New housing must be matched by an increase in quality jobs in Newton Abbot.’?A scheme to regenerate the Bradley Lane area was first identified in the Newton Abbot Town Centre Regeneration Study published in 2010. It was highlighted as one of the best town centre sites for a balanced mixed use development with community benefits. ?Over time Teignbridge has made some acquisitions to influence development of Newton Abbot, meet the challenges of providing homes and jobs that suit people’s skills and lifestyles and deliver real benefits for the district.

These include acquiring the former Launa Windows building in Bradley Lane in 2012 and the £13 million acquisition of Market Walk Shopping Centre in 2016. ?The LRF application was submitted by a partnership of Devon councils and public authorities. ?Today’s announcement comes days after Teignbridge benefited from the first wave of funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund for key projects including a new countryside park in Exminster and a link road, bridge and pedestrian/cycle way in Dawlish.