Plymouth planners have given the go-ahead for a major development of 550 homes on the former china clay drying works at Coypool.
The development by Homes England – to be known as Coypool Park – will also include a 7,000 sq ft community hub which could accommodate a café, nursery and flexible space for local clubs, health clinics and general community use.
There is provision for, 4,000 sq ft of retail space along with nearly 40 acres of woodland and open space.
It is proposed that the development will include 490 dwellings and up to 60 units for the elderly. One fifth of the 550 residential units – 110 in total – will be affordable housing, with two thirds of those available for social rent and the remainder allocated for affordable home ownership.
The residential development will include 390 two, three and four bedroom houses and 160 one and two bed apartments.
As part of the planning approval Homes England will be required to make significant infrastructure contributions including nearly £1.8 million towards strategic transport improvements along the city’s eastern corridor, £1 million towards secondary education in the the area, over £800,000 towards a Plympton Wellbeing Hub and Boringdon Sports Hub or other sports provision in the area.
It will also make a contribution of over £360,000 towards affordable housing projects elsewhere in the city. In addition there will be funding of £650,000 towards the cost of maintaining the Coypool park and ride bus route for at least five years.
Planning officers recommended approval of the proposal on the basis that it will deliver a high quality sustainable residential development on previously developed land and would make a significant contribution to addressing the city’s housing needs.
They added:
“The development will provide community uses, playspaces and openspace to create a sustainable and desirable place to live. Public access and improvements to the woodland as well as its long term management will provide significant public benefit to existing residents in nearby estates as well as future occupiers.”
“A package of highways measures and offsite works as well as a significant financial contribution to the strategic highway network has been secured to ensure that the impact on highways is acceptable.
“Likewise the impact on infrastructure such as schools and health facilities will be mitigated through significant contributions which also includes a contribution to the delivery of an allocated sports hub to serve the area.”
The china clay dryer works at Coypool closed in 2008 and was acquired by Homes England in 2018 because development of the site had been stalled by the previous landowner for 10 years.
Paul Britton, senior development manager at Homes England said:
“Coypool Park is our flagship housing project in Plymouth as it redevelops a redundant brownfield site into a wonderful place to live surrounded by woodland. We are delighted that it received unanimous approval from the City Council’s Planning Committee.”
