PLEASE HELP TO SAVE CHILPARK FIELDS FREMINGTON, NORTH DEVON

by Debbie Baddick

PLEASE HELP TO SAVE CHILPARK FIELDS FREMINGTON, NORTH DEVON

by Debbie Baddick

Debbie Baddick

Case Owner

I'm trying to protect the social and environmental well-being of Fremington village and its residents for generations to come.

days to go

£600

donated of £15,000 target from 19 pledges

Donate now

Debbie Baddick

Case Owner

I'm trying to protect the social and environmental well-being of Fremington village and its residents for generations to come.

Donate now

Your donation will be returned if the campaign does not reach its initial target

Here are Chilpark Fields which I'm trying to save. They are agricultural fields and are designated as countryside and lie outside of the local plan. They are also located in the Coastal and Estuary Zone. They are surrounded by woodland on 3 sides, with marsh and water courses leading down to the SSSI (freshwater) Salt Pill Pond and SSSI Taw Estuary.

Pearce Construction (Barnstaple) Ltd propose SOLE ACCESS to a new estate of 101 houses through the existing 1960's Chilpark estate, which comprises some 36 bungalows. Many residents are elderly or disabled. A few bungalows have been extended and are now multi-generational with young families.

100 HGV and 500 LIGHTWEIGHT VEHICLE MOVEMENTS PER DAY FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS are predicted up and down this single route to build these houses (thundering past existing homes and front gardens). After completion, this is the ONLY entrance/exit for an additional 101 houses with cars, lorries, delivery/refuse vehicles and IMPORTANTLY Emergency Service vehicles.

The photo shows just one cement mixer having difficulty negotiating the SOLE ACCESS!!

In fact Chilpark has much in common with immediate neighbouring estate St Andrew's Road (where planning permission was refused at Appeal in September 2023!). Chilpark too is a small estate of bungalows backing the protected Coastal and Estuary Zone, outside the local plan.

SO WHY WAS THE DECISION REACHED TO APPROVE 101 HOUSES AT CHILPARK FIELDS ON 4/6/25?

Chilpark is home to the much loved Permissive Path leading down to the Tarka Trail between the fields. It's rustic nature is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike for the tranquillity and the uplifting feeling of being out in the countryside. The rural Permissive Path is a treasured feature and real asset to Fremington community as a whole. Many people using it as part of their daily exercise routine for walking, jogging or cycling. Our cherished Permissive Path would be urbanised by an additional 101 houses!

No matter how large or small, ALL donations towards helping me with my legal costs to SAVE CHILPARK FIELDS would be greatly appreciated now please!

Here's the story:-

This began nearly 3 years ago and after 2 planning applications, on 4 June 2025, the members of North Devon District Council (NDDC) voted to approve a speculative planning application for 101 houses at Chilpark, Fremington, (app ref 78364).

The NDDC Planning officers acknowledge that the housing proposals go against important planning policies including protection for the Undeveloped Coast and Estuary in policy ST09 as the site is located within the coast and estuary protection zone. The officer report records that housing “could be located outside the Undeveloped Coast, as there is nothing particular regarding the proposals that would result in the development needing to be located within the Undeveloped Coast. Consequently, Officers consider that the proposal is contrary to Policy ST09(7) of the Local Plan.”

There is no decision notice yet and after taking legal advice from Richard Buxton Solicitors (RBS), the decision is arguably flawed. On my instructions RBS have sent NDDC a legal letter on 14 July pointing out the legal flaws requesting that NDDC return the application back to the Committee for a fresh decision. The main legal point is that officers gave misleading advice to members on the weight to be given to the many conflicts with the development plan including policy ST09. The ground is put this way in the legal letter:

The fact that the development is unacceptable in principle under the development plan is not treated as a harm – either in the tilted balance assessment, or in the overall planning balance generally. For this reason the OR advice is significantly misleading. On the correct interpretation of the tilted balance the conflict with the development plan must be given weight. In the alternative the conflict with the development plan must be given weight in the overall planning balance. The OR does neither.

Depending on the Council response, if a decision notice is issued without the application going back to committee I will be looking to take this matter forward to a Judicial Review.

I have had one donation to cover my legal costs so far but I cannot fund the case myself so I need community support.

I have set an initial target of £15,000 (£10,000 to cover my own side costs + £5,000 to cover my adverse costs risk) to fund the start of a JR case, with knowledge that further funding support from the community will be needed along the way depending on how the case progresses.

However, I am a hopeful NDDC will accept the decision taken on 4 June was flawed and agree to take the application back to committee, without wasting further Council taxpayers' public funds.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who objected to both the applications, but I now need your financial support too please. I am desperately trying to overturn this potentially catastrophic decision to build 101 houses at Chilpark.

Why this decision matters

2 / 2

We all know the infrastructure can't cope. The residents of the existing Chilpark estate would be severely impacted by noise, chaos, dust etc for years. The sewage system and potable water supply would need updating. The B3233 is already often at gridlock. There is no dentist in Fremington. The Medical Centre and chemists are overwhelmed.

The tranquillity and biodiversity of the permissive track would be destroyed. The fields lie in an ecologically sensitive location next to 15 acres of TPO protected Chilpark Wood. The unique freshwater SSSI Salt Pill Pond is intrinsically linked to Chilpark's watercourses and any environmental spillage/harm caused during the construction phase (in particular), could simply mean devastation for much of the wildlife dependent upon it.

The impact of another 101 houses in such close proximity to the Gaia Trust's nature reserve at Home Farm Marsh and the SSSI Taw Estuary within a stone's throw, would see increased usage and much potential for disturbance of wildlife and estuarine birds, particularly at high tide roost sites.

The designation of these fields is within the Coastal and Estuary Zone for a very good reason! This is to allow a wildlife corridor between other nearby sensitive locations. This is our countryside.... this is where crops are grown!

We have otters, roe deer, tawny owls, barn owls, badgers, hedgehogs, 9 species of bats (including greater horseshoe), many red listed birds, amphibians, and much more here already using the area. With 5 years of planned construction works and associated noise of piling of foundations etc in already-identified wet ground, and 101 more houses in future, this could drive the wildlife away forever!

Please also see the link to the Facebook group I helped set up named Save Chilpark Fields, Wildlife and Green Spaces. There are some wonderful wildlife photos taken at Chilpark and locally, which people have been sharing ever since it was set up.

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AmbB7e2fm/

PLEASE HELP BY DONATING TODAY.

Any proposal for housing outside of the local plan is supposed to start with 100% affordable housing, with viability studies being undertaken by the developer. This was not done nor taken into consideration at the Planning Meeting on 4 June 2025. We all know we need affordable housing, but NOT expensive "unaffordable" 2nd homes!

IF WE STAND TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY WE CAN DO OUR BEST TO SAVE CHILPARK FIELDS.

THANK YOU.

Debbie Baddick