Plans for 70-home development in East Devon approved amid sewage concerns

An outline application to build 70 homes which was deferred due to concerns about whether the local sewage pumping station has the capacity to accommodate the development has now been approved by East Devon District Council. 

Councillors had also flagged concerns about the potential of pollution to the Exe Estuary and the surrounding area.

The planning application, submitted by Hayes Grange, is for 70 new homes, including open space, affordable housing, and modifications to surrounding highways in Woodbury, a village in East Devon. 

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The proposals have been approved, subject to the developer producing a sewage management plan.

During a planning meeting on 21 November, the council said it had deferred making a decision about the planning application so it could consult The Environment Agency and South West Water.

The council said it has yet to receive a response about the sewage concerns from The Environment Agency or South West Water. 

In the meeting, it was suggested that the council could deal with concerns over foul sewerage management at the site by applying a further planning condition.

The condition would require the developer to draw up a plan for the appropriate management of sewage.

The plan would need to include details of sewage network capacity and propose measures as necessary to ensure the network as a whole is not overloaded as a result of the development. 

The council said they had used this additional condition when considering an 870-home development at Cranbook, a town in Devon.

Council officers said that imposing this condition would require the developer to provide all the necessary details to ensure appropriate measures are in place to deal with foul drainage. 

The Environment Agency and South West Water have been contacted for comment.