Plans to build 33 homes on a former Kingsteignton quarry should be thrown out, according to planning officers at Teignbridge Council – because not enough of them are affordable. Cavanna Homes (South West) Ltd has applied to develop the properties at Daisy Nook, Rydon Lane, a six-acre site also known as Rocky Acres. The company says the £750,000 bill for restoring the quarry and ensuring wildlife is protected is too high to allow it to meet the council's target of making half of the properties affordable. It believes that just six could be provided, four on a shared ownership basis and two rented. But a report due to go before councillors on Monday recommends that planning permission is refused. Although it is recognised that the cost of restoration is high, the firm could do more, officers believe. 'It is considered that the affordable housing and other financial contributions are presently inadequate,' they said, concluding that the proposal is contrary to both existing and emerging planning policies. But in February Cavanna's head of design and planning Ian Pugsley told the Advertiser that the council should accept the offer after the district valuer said it was a fair deal. 'We had a similar application for the same site refused a year ago and at that time Teignbridge advised us to seek the advice from the district valuer,' he said. 'We did that and he has now agreed with us. If we don't build on the site the chances are no one else will with the result that Kingsteignton will be without six new affordable homes. It's really a case of six or nothing.' But officers have stood their ground and said the valuer's advice 'recognises that the value of the land is outside the scope of the report'. The application has also been opposed by Kingsteignton Parish Council on the grounds that any major developments should be delayed until the fate of the substantial 'northern option' expansion plan is known. In total, planners have received 17 letters of objection to the Cavanna scheme. It will be discussed at Forde House, Newton Abbot, on Monday morning.
