Why do you feel this way and do you have any other comments?

In respect of housing allocations in Topsham, the Panel is dismayed that proposals to continue to encourage the development of green land around the town and continues to promote sites 91/94 off Newcourt Rd. We restate our observations contained in our previous response under “Topsham Housing Sites” and urge the council to reconsider imposing such development on this last area of semi rural land around the town, especially one that has such constrained traffic infrastructure serving it. If ECC ignore this request, all development must be undertaken in a manner that maintains the rural ambiance of Newcourt Rd, retaining existing hedgerows and tree planting to buffer the road and its inhabitants from large scale new development beyond. Multiple points of access to the road, with all the visual disruption this brings, must be prohibited. The Panel is aware that the Council have also disregarded its request that it resists applications to develop land in this area until the Plan has run fully through the democratic process and policy is properly examined.

Why do you feel this way and do you have any other comments?

We question the attractiveness of this site, squeezed between the motorway and railway line and beneath power lines. Noise and light pollution will be very significant, reducing residents’ health and wellbeing whatever the mitigation. Residents might reasonably expect to have decent outside space. Alternative uses should be sought for this site with an emphasis on biodiversity. This and the other three Newcourt Road sites will collectively result in further loss of green space and therefore the gap between Topsham and Exeter.

How do you feel about the site to the west of Newcourt Road?

Unhappy

Why do you feel this way and do you have any other comments?

Devon is disappearing under housing development on agricultural land. there seems to be inadequate increase in infrastructure to cope, and there is dangerous level of increased traffic

How do you feel about the site to the west of Newcourt Road?

Neutral

Why do you feel this way and do you have any other comments?

This proposal is sited in an area of high archaeological potential. Finds and features of archaeological significance have been found on adjacent land. Any development should be informed by a programme of pre-determination archaeological assessment and evaluation and accompanied by a programme of archaeological mitigation.

How do you feel about the site to the west of Newcourt Road?

Unhappy

Why do you feel this way and do you have any other comments?

Newcourt Road is a narrow, quiet road with low levels of motor traffic, and a crucial element of the active travel network. Permitting further development adjacent to this road would lead to an increase in traffic levels, compromising the safety of pedestrians and cyclists that frequent this popular route. As well as the risk to life, this will have the knock-on effect of discouraging active travel and hence will be in direct conflict with the stated aims of supporting active travel and reaching Net Zero emissions.