A contentious plan to build seven homes on the edge of a South Hams village has moved a step closer to reality, despite lingering fears from residents over overlooking, drainage and design.
Councillors approved detailed plans for the development at Lutterburn Farm, near Ugborough, after being told the principle of housing on the site had already been established.
Planning officer Clare Stewart said the application before members was a reserved matters submission, meaning the debate centred on design, layout, landscaping and scale rather than whether homes should be built.
She said: “The principle of development is established by the outline consent. We need to focus our consideration on the detail of the design.”
The scheme will see seven self-build homes constructed in a cul-de-sac arrangement, broadly in line with earlier outline plans secured under a Section 106 agreement.
Four different house types are proposed, all two-storey with three bedrooms, using materials including stone, slate and timber cladding.
Despite objections from residents over overlooking, drainage and maintenance access, councillors were broadly supportive of the scheme.
Cllr Georgina Allen said: “There is lots to be liked about this development. It is not easy putting in brand new buildings into a very historic setting, especially in a small village with a lot of protected land around it.”
She added: “There has been quite healthy give and take. Most of the issues raised by neighbours seem to have been addressed by the applicants and the planning team.”
However, she noted some ongoing concern.
Cllr Allen said: “There is a slight concern about drainage, but I would be positive and willing to vote in favour of this development.”
Cllr Simon Rake also backed the scheme overall but raised reservations about elements of the design.
He said: “There is a lot to like here. The palette of materials and the coherence of the design show that a lot of thought has gone into this.”
Cllr Rake added: “I do have a couple of reservations… I remain puzzled by the desire to put both solar photovoltaic and solar thermal panels on the roofs. Visually, it creates an unnecessary mess compared to having just one type.”
He also questioned other features of the homes.
“I am also puzzled why these houses have chimneys when they are using modern systems like air source heat pumps,” he said, adding concerns about wood burning and air quality.
The planning committee also heard concerns about potential overlooking between properties, particularly near Rowan Cottage, with high-level windows proposed in some cases to prevent views into neighbouring homes.
Residents had submitted a dozen objections raising fears about flooding, tree damage and access for maintenance.
Planning officer Patrick Wymer told councillors that any unexpected groundwater issues during construction would be handled through building regulations.
“If you are doing foundations and groundwater appears, you have got to stop and come up with a scheme to deal with that,” he said.
He also suggested a minor amendment to landscaping, proposing that part of the site should be grassed rather than planted with trees if members approved the scheme.
The development includes two affordable self-build plots alongside five open market homes, secured through a legal agreement.
Revisions made during the application process removed flat roofs and simplified materials following earlier concerns about the design’s impact on the village character.
Officers said the updated plans struck an acceptable balance and recommended approval, with councillors ultimately backing the scheme.
