£8.4m to free up Devon brownfield sites for housebuilding

Brownfield and derelict sites across Devon and Torbay are going to be made suitable for housebuilding - thanks to a cash injection of almost eight and a half million pounds.

The Devon and Torbay One Public Estate Partnership has announced that it has received £7,056,470 of Brownfield Land Release Funding (BLRF), and £1,360,474 of Self and Custom Build Grant funding to help drive economic recovery.

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Skills, said: “The Devon and Torbay OPE Partnership has successfully received the full amount of its bid in this latest round of funding, highlighting the benefits of working closely together. All of these schemes will regenerate and redevelop sites to open up opportunities for housing and economic growth as we look to ensure a strong recovery right across Devon.”

Exeter

Exeter City Council has been awarded £5,966,470 for the following sites:

• Cathedral and Quay car park

• Mary Arches car park

• Bonhay Meadows

• Belle Isle

• Exeter Canal Basin

Torbay

Torbay Council is receiving £675,000 for the redevelopment of Brixham town centre multi-storey car park and £415,000 to carry out groundworks at Torre Marine.

The multi-storey car park was demolished in 2004. It is hoped that this funding can help deliver a scheme that will see up to 70 residential units built on site, without any loss of car parking spaces.

Torre Marine has been the subject of various planning consents over the years but none have been delivered. The funding will be used to try to develop a viable scheme to build 78 Assisted Living care units to be maintained and managed by a registered provider.

Teignbridge

Teignbridge District Council is getting Self Build and Custom Build grant funding for two sites:

Howton Field £585,474

Orchard Lane £275,000

Teignbridge District Council Executive member for housing, Councillor Martin Wrigley, welcomed the funding: “Custom and self-build homes are an attractive option for many people so receiving funding to cover some of the high infrastructure costs on these council owned sites is welcomed. Our plans for 10 – 20 custom build homes at Howton Field near Newton Abbot are well advanced with planning permission already achieved.

“The Orchard Lane site at Dawlish was highlighted in our recent local plan sites option consultation and so any building would be subject to the outcome of that consultation, member consideration and approval as well as planning permission being sought for around six affordable custom or self build homes. If approved, some of the funding would enable us to offset the open space loss by improving play equipment on a nearby site.”