Thorverton School Lane Field - Parish Survey

All information current early April 2026.
Please follow this link to view the proposals from Summerfield (the chosen developer).
Representatives of the Diocese and their developer, Summerfield Homes, asked for
the opportunity to address the Council at their meeting on the 10th March to brief on
their proposals for land to the west of School Lane. A large number of members of
the public packed the hall; those who spoke were concerned by this proposed
development and other possible house building around the village.
Parish Councils have no planning powers but are consulted on all applications.
The Parish Council is conducting this survey to establish the views of the electors of
the Parish to this development in the context of other possible house building. The
Council wants to know if parishioners would support using reserves to pay for
professional advice to deal with this and other large scale applications.
Many parishioners will be unaware that recent revised government new house
building targets make it very difficult for the planning authority, Mid Devon District
Council, to refuse speculative house building applications such as this. They are
advised that consent should be granted unless any adverse impacts would
significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.
District Councillor Rhys Roberts has asked the planning officers for their forward
planning targets for houses in Thorverton.

This Proposed Housing Development
This scheme proposes 30 new houses including some affordable homes.
Summerfield are proposing to take forward their application in May. It is a speculative
development in that it is not included in MDDC’s Local Plan.
Should the development be approved the village may benefit from planning
obligation (Section 106) monies.
The developers have also conducted an open day at the Exeter Inn, to inform and
discuss the plans with local residents.
Once a planning application is lodged with MDDC everyone is able to comment on
their planning portal.

Other Proposed Housing Development
Thorverton Community Land Trust was launched by the Parish Council to
provide affordable housing prioritised for local people. Latest proposal is for
15 affordable homes, the great majority for “social rent”. These to be built on
the northern Silver St site, with any plans for housing on the southern side
being shelved until purchase of the northern site is confirmed. Planning
consent may be sought at the beginning of next year.
The Council understands that another large speculative development on
Lynch road will be proposed but has not received any details or timescale.
There is a current application for three bungalows off Dinneford St. The Parish
Council has made comments relating to refuse collection and visibility.
There is a current application for five houses at Chilton Gate. The Parish
Council has chosen to make no comment.

The Survey

Responses to this survey will be held by the Parish Council for the purpose of
compiling anonymized statistics and then be destroyed.
Respondents are asked to identify themselves and their address to establish that
they are bona fide electors in the Parish and that only one response is recorded.