PLANS for 44 homes on brownfield land next to Wrangaton Business Park have been submitted to South Hams Council.

The applicant Stuart Properties also owns the neighbouring industrial estate, and is including a building that could be used as a shop as part of the outline proposals.

The ’flexible shop/community space’ could offer a replacement for Wrangaton’s closed post office, something of interest to villagers.

Stuart Properties said it is being supported in the application by South Devon Rural Housing, which will deliver the affordable housing on the site.

The level of affordable housing proposed at this stage is 30 per cent of the development, or 13 two and three bed properties - though this proportion is subject to a viability assessment for the scheme to be undertaken later.

Stuart Properties says the number of affordable homes on the site could potentially meet all the housing need identified in the parish of Ugborough during research for its neighbourhood development plan. However, the draft plan states that small developments are preferable, and states an objective that new homes should be delivered ’in line with historic growth trends’, currently an average of three per year.

Documents submitted with the application reveal South Hams Council planning officers felt the site was not sustainably located for residential development during pre-application discussions, and would require most journeys to be made by private vehicle.

But chartered town planners Bell Cornwell argue on behalf of the applicant that this is not the case, citing the nearby business park, shops and other facilities in nearby towns and villages, and the ’sustainable travel options available locally’. The question of sustainability is key; because South Hams Council cannot demonstrate it has a five year supply of available land for housing, the presumption in favour of sustainable development should apply in decision making.

In the design and access statement submitted with the plans, Bell Cornwell also describes the steps taken by the applicant to engage with the community, including discussions with Ugborough Parish Council and the neighbourhood plan working group, and a public event held in Wrangaton. The planners say that following this event, the shop space was added to plans, and a proposed footpath in front of Station Cottages was removed.

The application is open for comments until Wednesday, October 19. To view it and make comments, visit www.southhams.gov.uk and search for application reference 1317/16/OPA.