Business boost plans approved as councillors back new employment hub for Torrington
Plans for a new employment hub designed to support business growth and create jobs in Great Torrington have been approved by councillors despite questions over drainage, noise and a nearby private water supply.
Members of Torridge District Council’s plans committee voted to support proposals for employment development on land at Hatchmoor Road, a site earmarked for business expansion in planning policy for several years.
The hybrid application includes detailed permission for the first phase of development, comprising nine flexible employment units together with roads, parking, landscaping and drainage infrastructure, alongside outline permission for future phases of commercial development.
Presenting the application, planning officer Peter Stapley told councillors the proposal would help deliver long-planned employment growth for the town.
The council heard the site sits within an allocated employment area identified in the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan and forms part of a wider strategy to expand business opportunities in Great Torrington.
Planning documents submitted with the application state the existing Hatchmoor Industrial Estate is approaching capacity, creating a need for additional employment land to accommodate both existing businesses and future investment.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, planning consultant Jenna George said the development would provide modern and flexible workspace capable of supporting a range of businesses.
She said: “The proposal seeks to deliver modern and flexible business space that responds directly to the needs of Great Torrington and the wider area.
“The site will create opportunities for local businesses to grow and attract new investment.”
Ms George told members the site had been allocated for employment use for many years and formed a logical extension to the existing industrial estate.
She said public consultation had generated strong support, with around 85 per cent of respondents backing the scheme and no formal objections recorded. Several businesses had also expressed interest in occupying units on the site.
The committee heard the development is intended to create a new employment hub for the town, with infrastructure designed to support future expansion. Plans include a new junction from Hatchmoor Road, estate roads, upgraded power and fibre connections, drainage systems and extensive landscaping.
The first phase would provide modern workshop and business accommodation, while later phases could deliver additional commercial floorspace on adjoining land.
Design documents submitted with the application show the units have been designed with flexibility in mind, allowing adjoining premises to be combined as businesses expand.
Councillors spent much of the debate discussing concerns raised during a site visit about a nearby private borehole.
Mr Stapley said environmental health officers had examined the issue and concluded the likelihood of contamination reaching the water supply was “extremely low”.
He explained that a number of unlikely circumstances would need to occur before there could be any impact on the borehole and officers were satisfied the development would not present a significant risk.
Members also questioned the site’s drainage arrangements, with officers explaining that sustainable drainage features, including attenuation areas, would be used to manage surface water while also delivering biodiversity benefits.
The plans include ecological buffer zones, new tree planting, enhanced hedgerows and landscaped boundaries intended to soften views of the development and integrate it into the surrounding countryside.
Attention then turned to the potential impact on neighbouring properties, particularly Hatchmoor Nursing Home.
Cllr David Brenton said he understood concerns about noise because his daughter had previously worked at the facility.
He told the meeting: “We’re talking about a lot of frail, terminally ill in some cases, people.”
Cllr Brenton asked what protection would be available should noise problems arise once businesses begin operating from the site.
Planning officers said any complaints would be investigated by environmental protection officers and reminded members that planning conditions were proposed to control noise impacts.
The planning report concluded the development would not result in unacceptable harm to neighbouring residents or the nursing home.
Speaking in support of the application, Cllr Doug Bushby described the scheme as a positive opportunity for the town.
He said: “I’m more than happy to support this application and I think Torrington are very fortunate to have such a quality development on the doorstep.”
Seconding approval, Cllr Doug Smith said the proposal was long overdue.
He told members: “It’s long needed.
“Torrington [is] on the up and up.
“This will enhance the whole positivity of the Great Torrington area.”
The development is expected to be delivered in phases, ultimately creating a larger employment park capable of accommodating a range of businesses while providing new jobs and investment opportunities for the town.
Planning officers recommended approval, concluding that the scheme represented a sustainable form of development which complied with local and national planning policies.
