Two flagship plans for Torridge get green light

A new business park in Torrington and a multi-use sports facility for Holsworthy have been given the green light by planners.

Torridge District Council is leading both projects, with 1.2 hectares of its land at Hatchmoor Road in Torrington being developed for the business park.

The council's planning committee approved nine flexible employment units within three new buildings, plus 49 car parking spaces, a footpath and cycleway, access and drainage at its meeting on Wednesday.

It also granted outline permission for an additional 3,022 square metres of employment space on another 0.75 hectares.

The Hatchmoor project was awarded £1.6m from the £20m government community regeneration partnership funding for Torridge, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It was given another £2m when the Bideford Business Park Project – one of 12 projects for the district – was not progressed.

The council also borrowed £3.35m to put into the scheme, which has been a long-standing priority for the council.

The extra funds have allowed the project to be extended with extra infrastructure and construction.

Councillors welcomed the scheme but highlighted potential noise nuisance to a nearby nursing home.

They were told that conditions were in place, including restrictions on operating times, and that a comprehensive noise report by an independent consultant had not raised concerns.

Operating hours and deliveries are restricted from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays, with no activity on Sundays or bank holidays.

The £320,000 multi-use sports facility at Park Grove, Holsworthy, will be tarmacked and floodlit and will be open from 08:00 to 21:30.

The project is one of two that is being funded with a Football Foundation grant in Torridge, plus local partnership funding and a boost from the council itself.

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