Residents come together to oppose 40 homes in East Allington

A group of residents in East Allington has formed a Residents Action Group to take on Baker Estates’ plan to build 40 homes in a field at the top of the village. 

The members of East Allington Residents Action Group (EARAG) are concerned about the size of the development proposed by housing developer Baker Estates and the ability of the existing infrastructure to cope with the increase in houses. 

At a meeting at East Allington Village Hall on Thursday, 11 June, residents spoke of current waterlogged gardens and drainage issues and raised concerns for increasing those issues due to the fact that the proposed site is above the village, meaning all rainwater run-off from the area would wash across the village. 

L-R: Phil Forgham, Mark Darlison and Andy Murray talk to the EARAG meeting at the village hall - Sam Acourt

Most were keen to point out that while they weren't against development in general, there were concerns with the current proposal. 

There were also concerns raised about the ability of the current South West Water (SWW) waste and drainage system to cope with another 40 homes. Andy Murray has lived in the newer houses next to the proposed development since they were built around 13 years ago and says that his neighbours and himself have always had "persistent surface water problems" and "waterlogged gardens". 

The up-to-date proposed site plan with Dartmouth Road at the top - Baker Estates 

He said the fear is that any building work, more concrete and tarmac is only going to make those problems worse, and he wants to see "evidence that the system will be able to cope". 

Residents also brought up concerns that the only access into the village in all directions are single track roads with few passing places. This road network would be put under pressure with the extra homes and cars, especially as the proposed development "makes no mention of improvements to the public transport system". 

Another speaker explained: “With no local shop, no buses and no employment provision” the development would become a “car dependant sprawl” that would “isolate the young, the old and those who do not drive” and possibly contribute to “social issues” in the village. 

Sarah-Jane Glanville said East Allington had “done it’s bit” for the local housing requirement and that a document by South Hams District Council (SHDC) said that the village needed to have “30 new homes by 2034” but since then “42 have been built or proposed since 2017, so we have fulfilled our quota”.  

Sarah-Jane also pointed out that there are currently around 20 houses on the market in East Allington, many of which have been for a number of years. “There is no proof of unmet local housing need”, she said. 

Residents also pointed out that  there are a small group of "affordable housing" units in the scheme, new 3-bedroom houses by Baker Estates in the South Hams (such as in Dartmouth and Dartington) generally cost between £350,000 and £500,000, with semi-detached designs averaging around £350,000–£380,000 and detached homes reaching £500,000 depending on the plot. 

Since the median salary in the South Hams is £30,000 and mortgage lenders will usually only entertain around five times your salary for a mortgage, even with two people earning, most of these homes are going to be out of reach for local people. 

We took the residents' questions to Baker Estates. 

1: There is no proof of need for new homes in East Allington, around 20 houses are currently on the market in the village and the outskirts and none seem to be selling. Some have been on the market for many years. 

"The principle of residential development on this site has been established through the grant of outline planning permission. Housing need is assessed by South Hams District Council, who consider current and future housing requirements across the district, for both open market and affordable housing. While individual properties may currently be available on the market, housing need is assessed.

2a: The current sewage/water system is at capacity and cannot support another 40 homes.

"South West Water (SWW), as the statutory undertaker responsible for water and wastewater infrastructure, has confirmed that there is capacity available to serve the proposed development."

2b: There is confusion about where the waste water would connect to the current system - is it going to be at Burley Court or Lister Way?  

The point of connection is determined by South West Water. They have advised that the proposed foul sewer connection would be made via Lister Way. The detailed design and implementation of the connection will need to be agreed directly with South West Water as part of the technical approval process.

3: The Permission in Principle (PIP) showed 30 homes on the site, the current application shown on the SHDC planning portal shows 40 - why the increase? 

"The site benefits from outline planning permission for residential development. Whilst the original application documentation referred to up to 35 dwellings, the application was subsequently amended in agreement with South Hams District Council, and references to a specific number of dwellings were removed before the outline permission was granted.  

"The Reserved Matters application has been carefully designed having regard to the site's characteristics, planning policy requirements, housing mix, landscape considerations, drainage requirements and highway design.

"The proposed layout is considered to represent an appropriate use of the site while providing a high-
quality residential environment and includes substantial areas of open space and landscaping.

4: The original PIP shows a large green buffer between the current estate and the proposed estate, this has been reduced from 20m to less than 1.5m on the current plans.

"There was no layout plan approved for the site as part of the outline application as matters relating to layout, landscaping and appearance were reserved for later consideration through this application. The proposals include a minimum 3-metre offset from the existing hedgerows across the vast majority of the site, in accordance with ecological recommendations.

"There is one limited location where this offset reduces to approximately 1.5 metres at the corner of a single plot. This has been carefully considered as part of the overall design and does not affect the retention and protection of the existing boundary vegetation."

5: The roads to East Allington in both directions are single track roads with passing places - how are these roads going to cope with either construction traffic, or the proposed 117 car parking spaces that are on the current plan?

"The highway implications of the development have been assessed by Devon County Council Highways, the statutory highway authority. The proposed level of development has been reviewed in terms of highway safety, access arrangements and traffic generation.

"During construction, vehicle movements can be managed through a Construction Management Plan. Devon County Council Highways have proposed that construction traffic access the site via the road to the east of the village, rather than travelling through East Allington itself.

"This approach is intended to minimise the impact of construction activities on local residents and reduce disruption within the village. The Construction Management Plan will also control matters such as delivery times and contractor parking.

Nicole Stacey, planning director at Baker Estates, commented: “Feedback from residents and the Parish Council is an important part of shaping the plans for the development, and we are committed to delivering a scheme that reflects local character while providing much-needed homes for the area.

"The site already benefits from outline planning permission granted by South Hams District Council in August 2025, establishing the principle of development and access to the site from Dartmouth Road.

"We have developed the detailed proposals for the site, which address layout, scale, design and landscaping and have engaged with local residents and stakeholders to help inform the scheme. 

"Our reserved matters application proposes a high-quality development of 40 new homes, designed to complement the character of East Allington and respond to identified local housing needs. The proposals include 28 open-market homes, comprising a mix of traditional two-storey houses and bungalows. These property types are currently in short supply locally but remain in high demand, particularly among downsizers.

"The scheme will provide 12 affordable homes, helping local people most in need access suitable housing within the community.

"The proposals also include a safe and convenient pedestrian link to Lister Way. The development has been carefully designed to be set back from the site's southern boundary, preserving important views towards St Andrew's Church and respecting the surrounding landscape.

"Beyond delivering new homes, the development is expected to support the local economy by creating up to 60 jobs during the construction phase, with opportunities for local subcontractors and suppliers.

"As part of the Section 106 agreement, the development will also contribute towards a range of local infrastructure improvements, including support for school transport, enhanced sports and recreational facilities, and allotment provision."

If you would like to comment on the application, you can on the South Hams District Council planning portal here, or by searching the portal for planning application number 1350/26/ARM.