Drivers for Change

Increased Flood Risk

• The impact of climate change has meant that the Environment Agency have set higher flood levels than it did in 2010.

• Acorn has consulted extensively with the Environment Agency and a revised safe datum level has been agreed.

• The revised level is a significant constraint to the development because to guarantee safe access and egress we need to provide a link from the wharf side development to the higher ground.

• The solution is to provide a raised deck through the middle of the site.

• This deck does many jobs – it becomes a flood and fire escape, a linear public park and it also enables us to place the vast majority of car parking spaces and vehicle movements below the deck making the scheme largely car free.

Retirement Village

• The site has been marketed for a number of years based on the existing planning permission.

• However it has become clear from that marketing process that there is no demand for a continuing care community in Totnes.

• During the pre-application process with South Hams District Council it was agreed that the Assisted Living Units no longer need to be provided as part of the scheme but that the Care Home should remain.

• The current application seeks to replace the 80 retirement apartments with unrestricted apartments / houses meeting a more general housing need.

Hillside Excavation

• The existing consented scheme requires one acre of hillside to be removed.

• This equates to approx 18,000m3 of material to be cut and removed from site in 1,200 lorries through Totnes.

• This is not a sustainable or responsible thing to do - therefore Acorn has decided that an alternative approach should be adopted that leaves the hillside effectively intact.

• This has reduced the developable area of the site by approximately 12%.

Building Regulations

• The new building regulations come into effect as of June 2023 and impose significant constraints on new developments.

• The proposal has been designed to comply with new regulations including the management of overheating and energy requirements.