IVYBRIDGE Town Council has decided against seeking a judicial review of a decision not to redraw its boundaries.

This is despite the council finding some of the hundreds of new houses to be built on the town’s eastern side will straddle the line, with part of the building in Ivybridge and part in Ugborough.

Ivybridge Town Council requested a ’community governance review’ of the boundary with Ugborough in light of the continuing expansion of the town eastward.

But after a review and consultation process, South Hams Council’s political structures working group recommended the boundary should stay the same. This recommendation was approved by councillors at a special meeting in October.

Ivybridge Town Council has long held the view that the site of hundreds of new houses set to be built in the coming years should become part of its administrative area, as they will look to the town for services. It is also keen to ensure that allowance is made for future infrastructure improvements that will be necessary as the town continues to grow.

But some residents of the disputed area opposed the change, and Ugborough representatives were also upset by Ivybridge Town Council’s objection to the parish’s neighbourhood plan.

Ivybridge Town Council said after the decision it would look at seeking a judicial review of the way it was made. But having taken legal advice, the council has now decided not to pursue a challenge, believing that if the decision was returned to South Hams Council, it would reach the same conclusion again.

The announcement was made at Monday’s meeting of Ivybridge Town Council.

Clerk Lesley Hughes pointed out that, looking at the plans, the boundary between Ugborough and Ivybridge passes through the huge Barratt Homes development off Godwell Lane. In fact, the line passes through several of the houses.

Mrs Hughes said: ’This is the nonsense of the situation. The top of the development is in Ivybridge, the boundary goes through a couple of houses, and there’s a bit at the bottom that’s also in Ivybridge.

’But clearly that’s good governance.’

A spokesman for South Hams Council sought to clarify the question of how the new estate will be divided up for council tax purposes.

They said: ’When a property sits within two parishes, it will be considered, for council tax precept purposes, in the parish that most of the property is located in. When a boundary line goes through a neighbourhood, some neighbours may pay different council tax rates as precepts vary for different parishes and towns.’