Reports
Letter to councillors on the 15th September 2023
As Teignbridge District Council deliberates the next steps of developing its new Local Plan, I feel it is an appropriate time to write to you on behalf of Farm Developments Ltd, the family-owned landowner putting forward proposals for a sustainable mixed-use community in Dawlish known as Hensford Park.
The masterplan for Hensford Park is the result of many years of work to respond to the future needs of the people of Dawlish, the district’s wider housing requirements, Teignbridge’s Concept Planning Brief ( https://bit.ly/3ZjqkZ7 ) and the constraints to deliverability elsewhere.
Significantly, Hensford Park is a long-term proposal for how Dawlish might grow sensitively and sustainably over the next Local Plan period which takes us to the year 2040.
The site sits to the north west of Dawlish in an area already seen as suitable to accommodate some of the growth that Teignbridge requires. It is adjacent to land already set aside for residential development north of Secmaton Lane, where a new link road has been approved by Devon County Council.
According to a report prepared by Hardisty Jones for Devon County Council (October 2021) entitled Urban Renewal in Devon’s Coastal and Market Towns, Dawlish is identified as the 7th most vulnerable of Devon’s 26 towns to future decline. It says: “Challenges to Dawlish include the lack of employment opportunities and employment premises which exacerbate out-commuting … and the lack of a widely supported vision for the future of the town. Among the long-term recommendations are to “Support the delivery of housing and employment space in the urban extension and ensure its integration into the town.”
A sustainable mixed-use community, connected to the town of Dawlish
The masterplan for Hensford Park provides the solution, by not only looking at new homes but all the elements that make-up a walkable community; a primary school in a location already chosen in liaison with Devon County Council, shops, offices and other workplaces, and green open spaces for people and for nature. The site is also very well placed to provide excellent active and sustainable transport links to Dawlish Town Centre, Dawlish Warren railway station, the Shutterton Industrial Estate, Dawlish Leisure Centre, Sainsbury’s supermarket and, of course, the beaches.
Critical Drainage Area (CDA)
We held a public consultation in November 2022 and the proposals were broadly welcomed by the community and stakeholders. Discussions with Devon County Council Highways and the Environment Agency revealed no ‘in principle’ objections. Throughout our discussions with the Environment Agency, it is evident that there are solutions to the technical constraints of the CDA and indeed the EA have welcomed future partnership working with us to realise these solutions and look for improvements and benefits that the development can bring. It is therefore clear that the CDA does not prohibit development but rather provides a set of design criteria which are to be used in the engineering of any scheme.
Hensford Park has more than sufficient space to provide Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) on site and that these can be designed to anticipate any future implications of the CDA. The majority of the site is in Flood Zone 1 – which means the lowest risk of flooding – with some areas on the northern, eastern and southern boundaries in zones 2 and 3 which would be incorporated into the open space for nature and leisure and flood defence systems.
We believe that not allocating Hensford Park for the Local Plan period to 2040 is short sighted, given that the Environment Agency modelling is likely to be complete by 2024 and we are already looking forward to working more closely with them to reduce flood risk, particularly downstream of the site to help address the tide locked areas.
Housing need
The Council’s own Housing Needs Assessment Report (September 2022) underscores a vast demand for affordable housing throughout the district, yet the proposed housing distribution being located predominantly on the outskirts of Exeter in two new communities ignores the genuine housing needs of Dawlish and other areas similarly not allocated any growth.
It is concerning to see a concerted effort to resist development in coastal towns, depriving them of new homes of which, crucially, 30% would be affordable.
Additionally, there has been a noticeable reduction in the number of proposed dwellings since the Regulation 18 draft of the Plan which raises concerns about its viability.
Sustainable travel and highways
A report by our transport and highways consultants Vectos/SLR Consulting demonstrates that Hensford Park’s proximity to Dawlish town centre and connection with existing homes and infrastructure brings significant benefits to the wider community. From day one, Hensford Park will be a sustainable, walkable community through the provision of a local centre with shops and business space, and a primary school. Investment in a dedicated cycle route will provide a safe connection to the town centre and other local amenities and facilities.
The location is also within reach of longer distance mass transit options including Dawlish railway station and bus services that pass through the town. This will facilitate significant shifts away from private car travel. Access to Hensford Park will be via an existing obligation on the current allocation land to the South and will incorporate a public transport route.
Devon County Council are supportive of the development, via a statement of common ground, and have not raised concerns that the A379 is, or could be, considered a barrier to future development in Dawlish. They reiterate that a carefully designed access strategy can assist a change in travel patterns.
There is modelling evidence which confirms there is no direct association between housing growth and traffic flows as a result of (for example) people choosing to live and work locally or choosing to use the other modes of transport – bus or train - which are available in Dawlish.
Vectos note that whilst Dawlish has experienced a significant amount of housing growth, the amount of outbound traffic on key roads has remained static for the last 20 years. Recent government work on future work patterns indicates that in excess of 1/2 million commuting trips per year are expected to be removed from Dawlish, equivalent to a housing development of over 750 dwellings.
Vectos are very confident that by virtue of the design approach being proposed, the scheme is capable of helping the Council deliver its own Net Zero Carbon objectives and embed positive and sustainable travel behaviours.
In conclusion
If Teignbridge District Council chooses to allocate even more new homes on the Exeter City Council boundary at Markham’s Farm, and at the Seale Hayne Garden Village which is completely detached from any existing community, it will be at the expense of considering the long-term sustainable future of our coastal towns, specifically Dawlish and Teignmouth which are the district’s second and third largest towns.
The Hensford Park proposal offers a holistic, sustainable solution to Teignbridge’s housing needs.
If similar, carefully planned, long-term proposals are not supported, there is a real risk of alternative sites coming forward in sub-optimal locations in an unplanned way and without a balanced mix of facilities – as we have already seen. Even if they offer new community facilities, they can often be in less-centralised locations, diluting their accessibility and effectiveness.
We invite all councillors and stakeholders to evaluate the merits of a more even distribution of residential development to include our coastal towns, and to review our proposals for Hensford Park, recognising its potential to provide an integrated, sustainable and deliverable future for Dawlish.
Below, are a collection of technical reports produced by our consultant partners on matters involving transport and mobility, surface water drainage and the concept masterplan report: