TEIGNMOUTH planners are opposing a 135-home estate because it will mean more traffic on already busy roads.

The developer wants to build the houses on fields above New Road, but town councillors have serious reservations.

Members of the town council planning committee maintain there are highways concerns, and a lack of information about traffic management and calming along New Road, and there is serious water overflow from springs affecting adjoining properties in the area and no flood risk assessment has been made.

Members also feel there are too many properties proposed for the site, creating an urbanised effect on the unspoilt skyline in a coastal preservation area; the site is unsustainable under current guidelines through a lack of school places, shops and amenities, leading to more car journeys, and bio-diversity and archaeological surveys are needed.

The committee was considering an application by Bovis Homes ltd for the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the development, which already has planning approval in principle.

The scheme is being strongly opposed by many residents, and the committee believed that the objections already on record from the original application for means of access still applied.

'The committee considers that the numbers of properties proposed is excessive and has greatly increased since the development was first considered,' state the minutes.

'It is proposed to have an element of affordable housing for local families.

'Hazeldown school is full, and the lack of places will force parents to travel either to Inverteign or Dawlish.

'There is no regular bus service to the site, and the lack of shops or amenities will increase the number of car journeys.

'Traffic movements from 135 new properties, with possibly two vehicles per home, will substantially increase the danger of accidents from speeding vehicles meeting traffic from both sides of New Road.'

The final decision rests with Teignbridge Council Planning Committee.

Ward member Cllr Vince Fusco has requested it is dealt with by the councillors and has also asked for a site inspection.