{"id":4265,"date":"2022-10-20T12:39:31","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T11:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backup.act.stringerhj.co.uk\/oldsite\/?p=4265"},"modified":"2022-10-20T18:22:39","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T17:22:39","slug":"support-conversion-not-demolition-of-bradley-lane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/backup.act.stringerhj.co.uk\/oldsite\/index.php\/2022\/10\/20\/support-conversion-not-demolition-of-bradley-lane\/","title":{"rendered":"Support conversion not demolition of Bradley Lane"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Friday 8th October saw the public release of the planning application for Bradley Lane in Newton Abbot (22\/01500\/MAJ), writes ACT Wildlife Warden Eloise Rokirilov<\/strong><\/em>.  Long pending, starting at 171 documents and growing, the expiry date for comments remains at 4th November. The application calls for wholesale demolition of all the buildings, the burial and diversion of the medieval leat, and the construction of 90 new residential properties.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why is Bradley Lane of interest or importance to anybody? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of environmental as well as historic and archaeological importance, Bradley Lane is a brownfield site containing a set of attractive mill buildings, and a medieval leat that runs through the valley and into the town, joining the River Lemon underground near the Jolly Farmer. Mills have been sited on or around the area since the 13th century. They were originally built to serve Bradley Manor, the nearby Grade I listed National Trust property.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The buildings are a testament to the wealth and contribution of the Vicary family, who were key to the industrial prosperity of Newton Abbot. Employing around 700 people at its peak in the 1800’s, the family’s substantial business interests included wool milling, fellmongery (stripping wool from sheepskins) and tanneries. With the increasing use of synthetic rather than natural materials, among other things, the business finally closed in 1972. Bradley Lane cottages were, of course, workers cottages in their time, and there is a WW2 bunker between the mills and the old Benbows buildings.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suffering repeat destruction from fire and flood over the centuries, the mills were proudly rebuilt on each occasion. The current buildings display a family plaque, \u201cJV & S Rebuilt 1883\u201d, celebrating its reconstruction in this year before its penultimate catastrophe, there also being a fire in 1921. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The mill buildings are far from the end of their life, being built of red brick, Devon limestone and local clay brick, some of the strongest material around. Historic England and the government themselves have started shouting more loudly about the need to avoid demolition, and instead retrofit and convert buildings as a way of meeting net zero. In a climate and ecological crisis, this makes sense. Demolition releases substantial carbon and other particles into the atmosphere.  
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Purchased by Teignbridge District Council in 2010, the mills continued to be used for commercial purposes. The council profess a long term intention to develop the site, and is proud of championing social housing on a brownfield site. Councillors state the intention is for the proposed development to include 44% affordable housing. However, the Viability Assessment report indicates a flat refusal by the developer to provide affordable housing as it is not financially viable. Instead, the intention is to sell 18 of the 90 units (20%) to the Guinness Trust, which will provide social rent housing. Homes England have offered funding of \u00a32,063,400. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More crucially for the environment, the Waste Audit Statement shows striking, estimated figures:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n