A ROW has broken out over the felling of trees and some parts of hedges on a controversial Newton Abbot development site.

Councillors from the former Newton Says No group and now members of the South Devon Alliance of councillors have fought controversial plans to build homes in the area designated as NA3 in the Teignbridge Local Plan.

They are now protesting saying trees have been felled and parts of some hedgerows removed in the Langford Bridge and Kingskerswell Road areas without the correct orders and permissions in place.

However, developers Persimmon Homes South West state all work was carried out in accordance to the site’s planning permission.

And Teignbridge Council says it has signed off the method statement and is satisfied that all the work currently being undertaken conforms to this statement.

Cllr Janet Bradford said: ‘I did manage to get an enforcement notice from TDC issued on 9/2/2023 the day that they were cutting down the trees.

‘I drove to the area and the tree fellers said they would take a long lunch break while it was sorted out. They carried on later though.

‘An officer at TDC sent me an email on 17/2/2023 saying: ‘Approval of this application has not yet been given.’

Cllr Bradford added: ‘Officers had been minded to approve the submitted Hedgerow Removal Method Statement, but unfortunately, due to a combination of historical resource limitations and the unfamiliarity of the new-in-post case officer with the council’s software and procedures, this has not yet occurred.

‘On 20/2/2023 I received the below statement from the same officer:

‘The decision for the CEMP has not been issued yet, this will be done shortly.’

And Cllr Bradford added: ‘The CEMP is the Construction Environment Management Plan and no development should take place on any phase of a development until a CEMP has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority for that phase.

‘Considering that Langford Bridge is a very contentious site and is vehemently unwelcomed by residents nearby and further afield, it seems to me that starting the work without the correct permissions in place is both disingenuous and against everything a council should stand for.’

Cllr Richard Daws, Leader of the South Devon Alliance of councillors on Teignbridge Council says: ‘There is no master plan in place, no environmental protections.

‘Yet inconceivably, on the most controversial site in NA’s history, work commences.

‘Probably because if the trees and hedge rows don’t get cut down by March the developer and council know they will need to wait until October after the nesting season.’

‘This is utterly shocking and predictability disappointing.’

SDA member Cllr Liam Mullone said: ‘The takeaway I think is that TDC, on behalf of Persimmon, has told all the contractors down the ladder that permissions are in place and everything in order.

‘They were not, and it has put all these people, and their reputations (which I understand they must guard very fiercely) in jeopardy by making them complicit.’

A spokesperson for Teignbridge Council said: ‘We’re really sorry that this issue has caused so much concern to local residents, and are doing our best to resolve it.

‘The hybrid planning application for this development was approved in 2020 but the detailed approval of the method statement for the removal of the trees and hedgerows in this location had not been signed off, due to a severe shortage of staff able to process it.

‘However, this work should not have been started without our agreement or knowledge, as this has meant that we were unable to monitor the work or let local residents know what was happening and we can confirm that when we were made aware of the issue we visited the site to assess the situation.

‘We have now signed off the method statement and we are satisfied that the work currently being undertaken conforms to this statement.

‘Some of the trees were subject to a tree protection order (TPO) but such orders are overridden by planning permission; however, as part of the planning permission there is extensive provision for landscaping, including trees and other greening to compensate for vegetation lost to enable the development to come forward.’

A spokesperson for Persimmon Homes South West said: ‘As confirmed by Teignbridge Council, these works have been undertaken in accordance to the site’s planning permission.

‘However, we recognise better communication between all parties involved is necessary.

‘We will ensure that future works are better communicated to the public and stakeholders, including the publication of a site-specific website.

‘As part of the landscape-led design at the site, there is a proposal to plant 29 new trees, 600 shrubs and 1,130 plants to create a new hedgerow.

‘This commitment only accounts for a small part of the proposed landscaping at the development, with more planting to be provided within the residential elements if permission is granted.

‘We are sorry for any confusion these works caused and would like to reassure the local community we will work in a spirit of cooperation and partnership with stakeholders to ensure any future work is fully communicated.’