Diggers in the Fields

The good news is the diggers in the fields around Sheppard’s Lane are part of an archaeological dig, not building houses. The bad news is this is part of the preparation for a planning application to build houses! Concerned residents contacted me when they saw the heavy plant and men in hard hats roaming the land near Shepherd’s Lane, on the boundary with Bishopsteignton, last weekend.Cotswold Archaeology is quite candid about what they do: “We work closely with developers and contractors to ensure efficient programming of attendance to reduce costs and avoid delays to construction programmes.” They are about helping developers deal with the archaeology requirements of a planning application. Proposals to construct hundreds of new homes in the area were rejected in 'Plan Teignbridge' district plan, thanks to the many people who made their views known to Teignbridge. The area is designated "Undeveloped Coast" a similar designation to "Coastal Preservation Area"; however because the council voted for a higher number of houses (on the chairman's casting vote) there is always the danger a developer will use 'housing need to overcome the Undeveloped Coast designation. A plan to build over 300 houses on designated countryside in Dawlish comes to the planning committee on the 26th November. It will be an interesting test case. In the meantime, as I have reported elsewhere, a developer has put in a ‘scoping’ application to Teignbridge planners, which is a precursor to a planning application. I suspect the developer will submit a planning application early next year.