Heated debate over new homes at CPRE Devon seminar in Exeter

Around one hundred and eighty people attended a seminar last week organised by CPRE Devon to address the controversial issue of where new homes should be built in Exeter, East Devon, Teignbridge and Mid Devon.

Presentations by East Devon MP Sir Hugo Swire, and Simon Thornley and Andy Wood from the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) gave rise to lively debate at the meeting last Friday (January 19th).

The Devon Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England announced it had appointed independent consultants to establish how many and what kind of new homes need to be built in Devon over the coming years. The evidence-based research will be carried out by Opinion Research Services (ORS) over the spring and will analyse the figures used to justify the building of tens of thousands of new homes across Devon over the next ten years.

Penny Mills, Director of CPRE Devon, said: “There is huge concern over the building of so many new homes throughout the county. Thousands and thousands are being built but it seems there’s no joined up thinking, and a lack of infrastructure, transport and services to support even more proposed developments in the county.”

“CPRE Devon is extremely concerned about the loss of the countryside and green spaces. We believe there are plenty of brownfield sites and vacant properties that could be used first before greenfield sites are built on. There’s also a great need for genuinely affordable homes in our towns and villages. It’s about building the right homes in the right places and in the right numbers.”

Trevor Baker from ORS, based in Swansea, gave attendees at the Gipsy Hill Hotel an overview of the number of vacant properties across Devon. He said that in and around the main conurbations up to 4% of homes were vacant, however, in more rural areas, this figure was much higher - 19% on Exmoor, 14% in the South Hams and 10% in North Devon.