A main route from Brentor toTavistock is to be closed for around three monthsas groundworks for a the new Embden Grange housing estate, being built on the northern edge of Tavistock, are being carried out. Butcher Park Hill will be closed from Monday 11 February 2019, with an anticipated end of the closure on Friday 17 May. The road closure has been granted by Devon County Council so that the developer of the 120 houses being built at the to of the hill, (Barratt Developments PLC) can instal sewerage and gas pipes and modify the BT cable. A footpath is also planned to be built at the same time.
Although the closure is anticipated for 14 weeks, the closure order is for up to 18 months, so the closure could be extended if there are delays to the works.
This is likely to increase traffic through Brentor and will doubtless inconvenience residents in other ways.
The concept plan for the site which was displayed at the drop-in session
At the drop-in session about possible affordable housing, held at Brentor Village Hall on Saturday 17th November 2018, visitors were able to view concept layout plans for up to 12 houses at Hammer Park.They were also able to question representatives of the Parish Council and West Devon Borough Council about the proposals. The recent Brentor Parish housing needs survey has demonstrated that, with existing housing list members, there is demand for up to 12 new homes. These would be built at Hammer Park as a ‘small affordable housing exception site’ scheme, which allows for the building of principally affordable housing in the National Park.
The current landowner has generously agreed to provide the Hammer Park site for an extremely reasonable sum, which would therefore enable the houses to be truly affordable. A mix of perhaps three full market value homes (which would cross-subsidise the others), three discounted homes and six rented properties would in all likelihood make the scheme economically viable. Open market properties are commonly needed due to the decline of funding for local needs housing.
The full market value homes would be marketed only to people from Brentor Parish in the first instance, such as those wishing to downsize from their existing home. The discounted homes would be sold to local people at a much reduced price (which might be at about 40% discount, but in the future they could only be sold on for a similar discount to other local people). The rental properties would be rented only to people from the Parish initially.
In the future, if there were no takers for any of the properties from within the Parish they could only be occupied by people from within adjoining parishes, and if there was no demand from them, only by people from within the National Park. These properties will never be allowed to become second homes or holiday homes. The s106 planning agreement would include this detail to ensure that the properties were targeted for local people to the parish in perpetuity.
There would be a possibility of including some single-storey properties for the elderly if there is demand.
It was made clear that this development will only go ahead if there is support from people in Brentor, and this will probably need to be gauged by the Parish Council. If it does go ahead there would be full consultation about the mix of properties, their layout, materials and design. They would be well built, reflect the local vernacular, and be low-carbon emission. The properties would probably be built by West Devon Borough Council and retained by them as their own housing stock.
There are other possible housing sites in Brentor, such as the field behind the bus shelter in the village centre (which is currently listed by Dartmoor National Park as being suitable for development with up to 29 homes). If the site at Hammer Park were to go ahead the likelihood of development elsewhere in the village would be reduced for the foreseeable future. West Devon Borough Council and the Parish Council clearly understood the sensitivity of this issue and the feeling in the village that it will engender, but they explained that that there is considerable pressure from Government for each Parish area to provide housing for local needs.
If you need further information about this issue contact Alex Rehaag from the West Devon Borough Council housing team – tel 01822 813600. This issue will no doubt be discussed at forthcoming Parish Council meetings – details of these are on the Parish Council pages of this website.
Watch this space for more information as it emerges.
Walking around Brentor you may have noticed that many of our roadside ditches and watercourses have been cleared of debris that has been building up during the summer and autumn.
Water can now drain off the roads onto adjacent land and into ditches more easily, avoiding the formation of puddles that can be a danger to traffic and pedestrians. This is thanks to the work of the local Parish lengthsman, whose recent work has been funded by a grant obtained by the Parish Council. Occasionally landowners have been known to block drains created by the lengthsman, but if you own open land next to the highway you are required by law to allow drainage from the road onto your land.
A cleared ditch in Burn Lane
Devon County Council also employs their own lengthsmen who are scheduled to work for four days a year in Brentor. In addition if there is flooding or large puddles on a road the County Council will, 24 hours after the rain has stopped, take action if:
the road is impassable
the water is forcing vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians away from the nearside of the road by more than one metre
vehicles have to cross the centreline marking
They undertake to attempt to clear the standing water if appropriate. If unable to clear the water, they will set up a flood sign, guard the area or close the road to make the location safe and then investigate a permanent solution. To find out more click here to visit the County Council’s highways website.
The parish lengthsman can only do a limited amount of clearing in the time he has, so it’s worth watching out for blocked gullies and drains and helping by keeping them clear of debris!
To mark the centenary of the end of the First World War Brentor Archive Group has done a huge amount of work to research what happened in Brentor during WWI. Irene Cradick has researched the lives and service of local men who died in the war and who are listed on the Brentor War Memorial. She has also brought together many other accounts of those who survived the war – all this makes fascinating and poignant reading.
There are many people in Brentor who remember happy times in the Brentor Inn when it was open – a real meeting place for the community. Do you have any photographs that could be made into a gallery about the pub on this website? Here’s a good one as a starter…….
The Brentor Inn (named Brentor Hotel) in its heydaySale poster of the Herrings Inn, 1838
Did you know that the Brentor Inn used to be called The Herrings Arms – no doubt because for many years the Herring family owned Langstone and local land, including some alongside Burn Lane.
What a shame that Brentor no longer has a pub that is open. Back in May 2005 Brentor News carried the following article:-
‘ Brentor Inn Update The new owners of the Brentor Inn – Cynthia and Dudley Smith, daughter Emma Harcourt- Smith and partner Andy Stone – are hoping to open by Christmas. Since buying The Brentor Inn last June, they have needed several re-thinks on structure, design and layout but now feel they have an achievable scheme and “will be applying for planning permission for the changes within the next two weeks”. Changes will include a new kitchen, toilets and a cellar. The intention is to open initially as a pub with a range of beers and simple but goodbar food. The function room will open later – hopefully with restaurant facilities. Sharp-eyed passers-by will have noticed the recent appearance in the car park of a JCB, which has been purchased for the construction. The family has engineering experience in varying forms – which should help. We are happy to report that they all categorically deny any rumours about applying for change of use! ‘
A silver-washed fritillary butterfly in West Blackdown, August 2018 – photo by John Drury
Do you have an interesting photo, an informative item about the village or an event that you need to promote?
We want to keep this website topical, local and up-to-date, so please send your potential contributions to the Editor at brentorvillage@btinternet.com .
This website now has a recipes page, but there’s only a few recipes on it!
As we all know, lot of Brentor’s social life revolves around cooking and eating with family and friends. The recipes on the new page have been provided by Brentor residents past and present. No doubt some have been adapted and improved as the years pass – and they are reminders of residents past and present and of many good times around the table, as well as being household favourites. WE NEED LOTS MORE RECIPES! So please email your contributions – a recipe with a small introductory text – to the editor, Colin Dawes, at brentorvillage@btinternet.com .
A main route from Brentor toTavistock is to be closed for around three months as groundworks for a the new Embden Grange housing estate, being built on the northern edge of Tavistock, are being carried out. Butcher Park Hill will be closed from Monday 11 February 2019, with an anticipated end of the closure on Friday 17 May. The road closure has been granted by Devon County Council so that the developer of the 120 houses being built at the to of the hill, (Barratt Developments PLC) can instal sewerage and gas pipes and modify the BT cable. A footpath is also planned to be built at the same time.
