SOME significant changes to the Mid Devon Local Plan Review 2013-2033 could have a strong bearing on the town of Crediton and villages in the area.

These include bringing forward the building of 200 dwellings at Pedlarspool on the northern edge of the town in the parish of Sandford and the building of 120 dwellings at The Rec and Crediton Rugby Club subject to the relocation of sports pitches within a suitable alternative site which, it suggests, will be within the Pedlarspool plan area.

The sports fields and Pedlarspool site are on the northeast side of the town with convenient access to the new link road.

In addition, and prior to the Pedlarspool and other building of homes outlined, the other largest allocation of housing is the 185 dwelling plan currently being considered for Wellparks, off the link road at Wellparks Hill, which is being held up due to infrastructure, pedestrian access and other issues.

The Wellparks plan will also deliver 2,220 square metres of commercial land.

The proposals are published in a report "Proposed Submission Policies for the Crediton and West Area" presented to Mid Devon District Council's cabinet, which met in Crediton yesterday, Thursday, November 27.

The Pedlarspool mixed development site was previously in a contingency plan.

It is also proposed that the Pedlarspool plan is brought into the Crediton settlement area, which is unlikely to be favoured by Sandford Parish Council.

A previous proposal for the relocation of Queen Elizabeth's school to The Rec, adjoining Lords Meadow Leisure Centre, where it could have used existing leisure facilities, has been deleted.

Red Hill Cross (135 dwellings) and Cromwells Meadow (35 dwellings) are existing commitments included. These and other small sites allocated will limit sustainability impacts says the new plan, including land at Alexandra Close (15 dwellings), the Woods Group (eight dwellings) and land at Barn Park (20 dwellings).

Land to the south of the A377 in Crediton, adjacent to Tesco, is also expected to deliver 7,600 square metres of commercial allocation during the plan period.

In all the Crediton housing proposals there is a rule that 25 per cent is affordable housing.

The plan says Crediton is constrained by the surrounding topography and existing air quality issues.

In view of Crediton's environmental constraints, the Local Plan sets a target for development in the town which equates to 10 per cent of the overall housing need for Mid Devon up to 2033.

There are existing permissions for 274 dwellings at Crediton and the plan proposes to allocate sites with capacity for a further 583 homes.

It says the 850 total is sufficient to meet the town development target and is the lowest level of development of the three defined towns within Mid Devon.

Both the Wellparks and land adjacent to Tesco is expected to provide an estimated 327 new jobs over the plan period.

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