TDLP PART 2 CHAPTER 3 - GREAT TORRINGTON (with Taddiport)

Introduction

3.1 Great Torrington is an old market town that developed on the trading route between Barnstaple and Plymouth. It occupies an elevated site east of the river Torridge some 11 km (7 miles) south of Bideford. It is an elongated settlement stretched along the A386, B3227, and B3232.

3.2 Great Torrington has a rich built and natural heritage, much of which still dictates the character, form, and appearance of the settlement and some of which pre-dates the market town. The town's impressive hilltop location forms a strategic position upon which a castle was sited, of which little now remains. Neolithic artefacts found within the town may well indicate earlier settlement.

3.3 The town flourished on its markets and fairs, based on the agricultural and wool industries. A thriving glove manufacturing industry in the 19th Century brought pressure for urban development along the A386 /New Street as far westward as the town's commons would permit. The fortunes of the town have fluctuated in recent years from a low point in 1993 with the closure of the Dairy Crest Creamery, which resulted in significant local unemployment. Since then, the viability of Great Torrington as a market town has improved, encouraged by the results of partnership projects that have generated significant investment in the town through a number of regeneration projects.

3.4 The town grew considerably between 1961 and 1981 with a 41% increase in population. The parish population increased steadily by 9.4% over the period 1981 – 1991 from 4,107 to 4,493. The population estimate of 4,905 for 1999 indicates a higher average annual rate of growth since 1991.

Strategic Rôle

3.5 In accord with the Structure Plan Settlement Strategy, the Plan identifies Great Torrington as an Area Centre. As such, Great Torrington will act as a focal point for the provision of employment opportunities, education facilities, and other local services. Great Torrington is of a sufficient scale to support a range of services and facilities to meet both the local community needs and those of the surrounding rural area.

3.6 The Plan's Strategy for the development of Great Torrington is to secure a more balanced range of uses by promoting new employment, housing, and leisure development to the north and north east of the town. The aim is to ensure the continued regeneration of the town by new development that will help maintain its present service rôle.

Landscape Setting

3.7 The steep sided Torridge river valley borders the town to the south and west with a tributary valley running east to west to the north of the town. These valleys accommodate much of the Great Torrington Commons. The land to the east rises and the promontory of high ground broadens out toward the high culm measures plateau.

3.8 The character of the landscape and the landforms to the south, north, and west of Great Torrington and the presence of the Commons physically define the town and constrain the possibility of further expansion in these general directions. This does not preclude rounding off. The recent growth of the town mainly has been to the east.

Housing

3.8A Over the period 1995 – 2001, 212 houses were built mostly within the Burwood Estate at Caddywell and near Hatchmoor. It has been estimated that the outstanding commitment at April 2001, including sites with planning permission and under construction, amounted to 75 houses.

3.9 The sites scheduled in Policy HSC1 including the new sites subject to Plan proposals provide for the additional development of about 104 houses. This means that Great Torrington's contribution to the strategic housing requirement 1995 – 2011 now amounts to about 391 units, which is appropriate in view of the town's Area Centre status.

Infrastructure

3.10 There are localised deficiencies in sewerage capacity throughout the town during high flow periods. South West Water has highlighted a particular problem in the capacity of the sewer from Castle Hill Gardens to the treatment plant. Improvements will be necessary before any new development can connect to this sewer. The problem arises mainly because the surface water drains and foul water drains are combined. All new development must ensure that new foul and surface water drainage systems are provided separately. Where development is permitted, a developer contribution may be sought to help create sewer capacity by separating existing highway run-off.

3.11 The sewage treatment works at Great Torrington has limited additional capacity. The need for capital schemes to improve treatment levels and to increase sewer capacity has been identified but there is no programme for such improvements at present. Development on the land allocated for housing and employment will be expected to contribute toward any necessary improvement or replacement of plant and infrastructure at the works.

3.12 No major land drainage constraints have been identified, as surface water can be directed toward the river Torridge and tributary streams. However, flooding occurs periodically at Taddiport Bridge and no development that may exacerbate the flood risk or take up flood plain capacity will be permitted.

Transport Services

3.13 The Highway Authority has identified no major transport proposals for Great Torrington. The Structure Plan provides for the development of a network of cycle routes in Great Torrington. The local transport objectives included in the Devon LTP indicate that the network will include town centre links, safe routes to schools, and a recreational link to the Tarka Trail.

3.14 The District Council considers that the most convenient recreational link would be the bridge route along the line of the former Rolle Canal through the Common to Taddiport. The preferred route is shown on the Proposals Map and is subject to Policy DVT20. It is expected that the Highway Authority will incorporate a suitable measure in the Devon LTP in due course. An extension to the Tarka Trail is defined on the Proposals Map from the former Great Torrington Station via Rolle Road, to link to the Commons south of the town. Access to the town centre can be achieved via existing paths to South Street Car Park.

3.15 There is a regular bus service between Great Torrington, Bideford, and Barnstaple. However, it is limited in respect of employment accessibility. Bus services to outlying villages, parishes, and the regional centres of Exeter and Plymouth are infrequent or non-existent.

Conservation and Townscape

3.16 There are 97 Listed Buildings in Great Torrington of which three are Grade II*. There is a Conservation Area around the medieval core of the town. It includes the majority of the Listed Buildings.

3.17 The establishment of a Conservation Area Partnership Scheme for the town in 1998 reflected the quality and importance of Great Torrington's built heritage. Funded over three years by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the District and County Councils, and property /land owners, the aim of the scheme was to regenerate the Conservation Area by promoting and enabling the repair and reuse of buildings.

3.18 The District Council has made an Article 4 Direction for the Conservation Area, to ensure that any improvements and enhancements achieved are not diminished by changes to unlisted buildings within the area.

Social and Community Services

3.19 Great Torrington has a range of facilities that provide for education, health, leisure, and recreation. The town has a number of pre-school facilities, an infant school, a junior school, and the Great Torrington Secondary School and Community College. People in the surrounding parishes have a high level of dependency on Great Torrington for key services such as education and health care.

3.20 There are no sixth form facilities within the town, and school pupils have to travel to Barnstaple or Bideford. The Eric Palmer Centre provides for adult further education.

3.21 At primary level, the schools in Great Torrington are at capacity; at secondary level, the School now has exceeded its capacity. However, the Devon County Council has no current proposals for further school provision. Great Torrington School has a new sports hall that is available for dual school and community use. Therefore, any new family housing development will be expected to contribute to school expansion plans and /or ancillary works aimed at resolving the issue of school overcrowding. Such works may be set out in the School Organisation Plan. Educational needs assessment will be undertaken by the Local Education Authority and the LPA will seek a contribution toward necessary primary and secondary school improvements designed to provide adequate school capacity. The level of contribution will be negotiated with the applicant in accord with Policy DVT16.

3.22 Great Torrington has a small Cottage Hospital. Other health facilities include two health centres and a dental practice. Specialised services are available at the District General Hospital in Barnstaple.

3.23 The town has benefited from a Rural Challenge Project involving economic development, social, and community proposals, business support, and the enhancement of the built and natural environment. The Genesis project involved the refurbishment of the Pannier Market and the conversion of the Castle Hill Hotel, both prominent Listed Buildings in the town centre. The refurbished buildings provide a range of services and facilities that help to maintain the viability of the town centre.

3.24 There is a branch library located in the Great Torrington Visitor Centre, formerly the Castle Hill Hotel, which also provides community services including a Citizens Advice Bureau and an Area Office of the District Council. The library opened in January 2000 and it is the central base for the mobile library service to the surrounding area.

Town Centre and Retail Facilities

3.25 Great Torrington town centre is an area shopping centre that serves the population of both the town and the surrounding rural parishes. The retail frontage within the town centre is not continuous, with a number of different uses.

3.26 The commercial hub of the town remains compact. The primary retail frontage defined on the Proposals Map in accord with Policy HSC17 comprises South Street east from the car park to its junction with High Street and High Street excluding the Town Hall.

Open Space, Recreation, and Leisure

3.27 Great Torrington has a good variety of leisure and recreational facilities available. Nevertheless, the District Recreation Strategy identified some deficiencies in the level of provision of facilities such as playing pitches. The interim playing field target for Great Torrington (Annex 6B of the Plan) has not been met. Appropriate contributions will be sought toward the provision of additional pitches and associated facilities that relate fairly and directly to new housing development.

3.28 Great Torrington has no dedicated public cricket pitch. The all weather cricket pitch at the Great Torrington Secondary School is not a dual use facility. The Strategy notes the need for an additional area of 5 hectares of playing fields. This would achieve 9 hectares overall, which would equate to 1.9 hectares per 1,000 population. It is recommended that at least one of the pitches should be an all-weather facility. Scheduled major developments, as identified in Policy HSC1 Schedule 2 including those to which no specific Plan Proposals apply, may be required to contribute toward any necessary built sport facilities the need for which (in part or whole) is generated by the development.

3.28A The District Council intends to relocate the swimming pool. A pool site adjoining Great Torrington School and Community College is being developed and the existing pool site in School Lane will become available for small-scale redevelopment.

3.29 The 132.6 hectares of Commons and Conservator Lands around the town provide substantial informal open space and contain two play areas. The River Torridge also is a recreational asset and the Old Rolle Canal as identified on the Proposals Map is subject to Policies DVT17 and DVT20.

Industry and Employment Provision

3.30 The traditional employers of the town had been agriculture based, including meat and milk processing, the woollen industry, and traditional glove and clothing manufacturers. These have declined, but meat processing continues to the north of the town and there are some survivors of the traditional glove and clothing industry.

3.31 In an effort to diversify the local economy, the Dartington Hall Trust established the Dartington Crystal Company in 1968. The Dartington Crystal Factory is now one of the major employers within the town. The majority of businesses in the town have fewer than 10 employees.

3.32 Great Torrington has three main General Employment Areas, the site of the former Dairy Crest Creamery area to the west, Town Park and Dartington Crystal to the north, and the Pathfields and Hatchmoor Estates to the east. These areas are identified on the Proposals Map.

Tourism Facilities

3.33 Great Torrington has a number of tourism assets and attractions. The two main attractions in the vicinity are Dartington Crystal with over 250,000 visits to the factory shop each year and the Royal Horticultural Society's Rosemoor Gardens, which attract 126,000 visits each year.

3.34 Other assets include the Tarka Trail to the west, which is part of National Cycle Network Route 3, and the river Torridge. The golf course to the northeast of the town and the spectacular setting of the town above the River Torridge Valley with the Commons on three sides are further assets that benefit both local people and visitors. The potential for improved river access between Beaford Bridge and the estuary is under consideration by the Northern Devon Coast and Countryside Service in the interest of sustainable tourism development. Any such development would accord with Policy HSC14.

3.35 The Great Torrington Visitors Centre includes the new tourism facility Torrington 1646, based upon the town's Civil War heritage. Great Torrington has a recognised Battle Site that is not included on the Register of Historic Battlefields prepared by English Heritage.

Site Specific Proposals

Juries Lane Site

3.36 The site of approximately 2.4 hectares to the south of Juries Lane is allocated for housing. Access to the site is difficult and it can be achieved only by a redevelopment of the Calf Street Garage, adjoining Torrington Cottage Hospital. The creation of an access at this point will permit other highway improvements. Visibility improvements that will affect the hospital garden frontage to Calf Street are required.

3.37 The provision or safeguarding of an access to the rear of the properties on Calf Street, providing rear service and development potential, will facilitate the removal of on-street parking along Calf Street, reducing congestion and improving the through flow of traffic along this main route into town.

3.38 The provision or safeguarding of an access route to the rear of Marwood Court and to the Devon County Council Depot on Gas Lane will facilitate further traffic improvements. The Marwood Court Garage access may be closed to vehicular traffic provided the garages utilise the new rear servicing access to the development. Also, there may be the potential for relocation and redevelopment of the Devon County Council Depot.

3.39 A contribution to off-site recreation provision will be sought to address the recreational needs generated by the site's development. The District Recreation Strategy demonstrates the need. The required on-site open space should be provided close to, and should have links on to, the proposed cycle route and pedestrian link along Juries Lane to Gas Lane, as defined on the Proposals Map. The potential exists for a continuation of this route along Bastards Lane to the employment and recreation uses west of School Lane.

Proposal GT1: South of Juries Lane

A site off Calf Street, as defined on the Proposals Map, is allocated for housing development subject to the provision of the following:

(a) vehicular access off Calf Street

(b) relocated access for the hospital, from Juries Lane to a new access off Calf Street via the site access

(c) a vehicular access route to the rear of properties in Calf Street

(d) safeguarded potential access to the rear of Marwood Court for existing garages, the Devon County Council Depot, and the house at Summerfield

(e) on-site recreational playspace and informal open space, linked to the proposed cycle route and pedestrian link

(f) a cycle way along Juries Lane with cycle and footpath links through the site to Calf Street via Marwood Court

(g) an appropriate contribution to the off-site provision of recreation facilities the need for which is generated by the development

(h) a contribution to the cost of built sport facilities needed to serve the area.

3.40 – [No text]
3.51

Hatchmoor Site

3.52 The Plan allocates approximately 6 hectares of land for employment development at Hatchmoor, to provide for the long-term needs of the Great Torrington area.

3.53 The site will bring employment uses closer to the Greenbank housing estate. An area adjacent to the recreational open space at Greenbank, within the employment area, should be planted and landscaped to form an adequate noise and visual buffer. The areas requiring boundary treatment should be treated in step with the site servicing development for the employment land and landscaped in the planting season prior to the first unit development. Vehicular access will be from Hatchmoor Common Lane, subject to all necessary improvements including possible junction improvements with the B3232 being made. Provision for safe access for cyclists and pedestrians will be required as an element of the highway improvement.

Proposal GT4: Hatchmoor

A site at Hatchmoor, as defined on the Proposals Map, is allocated for employment development subject to the provision of the following:

(a) improvements to Hatchmoor Common Lane including widening and footpaths between the B3232 and the existing industrial estate service road

(b) improvements to the junctions onto the B3232 if necessary and onto the existing industrial estate service road

(c) major landscaping and screening on the site boundaries except where adjoining the existing industrial estate

(d) a convenient footpath link from Hatchmoor Common Lane to the Greenbank housing area, through the site and linking to the adjoining employment area.

3.54 – [No text]
3.55

Donnacroft and Hatchmoor Fields

3.56 The main area of existing playing fields is located to the east of the town at Donnacroft Fields and at Hatchmoor. Provision is made for further recreation facilities and pitches. Where developments that generate a need for general recreation facilities, including playing fields, are located in areas deficient in such facilities as determined in accord with Policy DVT9, contributions toward provision within this area will be required, in accord with Policy DVT16. On-site provision in accord with Policy HSC13 also will be required. Cycle and pedestrian links will be provided from new and existing development to Donnacroft. The District Council will develop a costed capital programme for the proposed development.

Proposal GT6: Donnacroft and Hatchmoor Fields

Sites at Donnacroft Fields and Hatchmoor Fields, as defined on the Proposals Map, are safeguarded for playing pitch development.

3.57 Sufficient land is safeguarded to meet the identified need for playing pitches, as confirmed in Appendix 5 of the Plan. The additional pitches may be developed as resources permit.

3.58 [No text]

Dartington Crystal

3.59 An area of land north of Dartington Crystal has potential for tourism and commercial use in connection with Dartington Crystal. The site is considered suitable for an expansion of Dartington Crystal services or for retail and craft workshop units as an expansion of the tourist attraction. Any products available for sale should be targeted at tourists and visitors. General retail sales that would detrimentally affect the retail services available in the town centre will not be acceptable from this site.

3.60 The development will enhance the tourism potential of the site. The provision of cycle and footpath links to the town centre using existing paths and the safeguarding of links to other routes from the new development will be expected.

3.61 The increase in traffic movements along School Lane and at the junction with New Street, generated by the development, will require traffic management measures to which the development should contribute.

Proposal GT8: Site West of School Lane

A site west of School Lane, as defined on the Proposals Map, is allocated for tourism related retail and commercial uses that are to be operated in association with the Dartington Crystal tourist attraction. The development should provide for the following:

(a) retention of the footpath and creation of a cycle link between Town Park and the site

(b) a safeguarded access onto Stoneman's Lane and to the north for cycle access

(c) any traffic management measures necessary along School Lane and at its junction with New Street.

Great Torrington Commons

3.62 The Great Torrington Commons are included in the Devon Inventory of Culm Grasslands produced by Devon Wildlife Trust and the steep river valley side dropping southward into the Torridge Valley has been identified within the Torridge Landscape Assessment as an area of landscape character that needs to be conserved. There are important panoramic views that should be afforded protection from development.

3.63 [No text]

3.64 The Great Torrington Commons and Conservator Lands provide an invaluable informal recreation /leisure resource.

3.65 The value of the Commons to the town in terms of recreation, landscape, nature conservation, and general amenity is reflected by their exclusion from the development boundary. To reinforce their protection from development, the District Council considers a specific policy relating to their conservation is necessary.

3.65A Policy GT9 intends to permit only the types and level of development that will facilitate the interpretation and enhancement of the lands, their nature conservation assets, and their public amenity value. Permissible development could include interpretation boards, formal footpaths, and cycle links.

3.65B The Common is the Great Torrington Commons, comprising Great Torrington Common and Castle Hill Common as defined in the Great Torrington Commons Act 1889. The Conservator Lands are the lands vested in the Conservators of Great Torrington Commons and the proposal will be applied to all such lands. The Conservators are established under the Act. The proposal includes the extent of the Common and the Conservator Lands that are protected by the Conservators.

Policy GT9: Great Torrington Commons and Conservator Lands

Within the area defined on the Proposals Map, comprising the Common and the Conservator Lands, development will be permissible only where necessary:

(a) to preserve the Common; or

(b) to facilitate the interpretation, protection, and restoration of local features, consistent with preservation of the Common.

Taddiport, Little Torrington

3.66 Taddiport is considered within this section because it is treated as a part of the Area Centre. The village is not identified as a separate settlement within the settlement hierarchy.

3.67 Further general development of the village is not considered appropriate because of the location and landscape setting. However, a small site to the west of the settlement is considered suitable if it secures a necessary community facility. The site is tightly constrained by wooded slopes to the south and west and by existing development to the east and north.

3.68 The District Council considers this site to be appropriate for housing development subject to the provision of a community car park. The tight constraints of the site and its close relationship with the settlement will reduce the visual impact of the development.

3.69 An appropriate agreement with the Parish Council or other appropriate public body will be required to ensure the continued management and maintenance of the car park facility. The agreement must be agreed with the District Council and must be secured before any development commences.

Proposal GT10: Taddiport

A site to the west of Taddiport Village Hall, as defined on the Proposals Map, is allocated for housing development and a community car park subject to the provision of the following:

(a) amenity space of 0.1 hectares minimum alongside the village hall

(b) at least 20 car park spaces within the community car park with convenient pedestrian access to the amenity space and the hall path

(c) a maximum 0.5 hectares of housing development

(d) vehicular access from the B3227 Langtree road only

(e) suitable landscape enhancements along the site frontage to the B3227

(f) highway improvement and widening works along the site frontage to the B3227 including the reinstatement of the stone wall to the rear of any such works

(g) a public pedestrian link to Cross Hill along the route defined on the Proposals Map.

 

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