The Guinness Partnership is to seek outline planning permission for 85 family homes and 50 retirement living apartments at New Barn Farm between Sainsbury’s and Norton Park in Dartmouth. The partnership is one of the largest providers of affordable housing and care in England. It owns and maintains over 65,000 homes nationally and has recently completed 60 new affordable, assisted living apartments at Quayside, Totnes.

In a presentation to Dartmouth Town Council, it was said that there would be two-thirds of the family homes would be affordable and almost one-third of the retirement apartments.

Since then and based on feedback from the council, the partnership have said that they are considering increasing the affordable portions of the development.

The partnership’s presentation of the scheme emphasises that the homes will be truly affordable and that there will be public open spaces and potential employment opportunities.

Richard Rendle who was a district councillor when much of Townstal was built, said of the proposed development: “I have my doubts as to whether this development will ever be built. Principally, it seems unlikely that demand for house sales will be strong enough to make it likely that the affordable homes can be funded.

“Additionally, what care is available in Dartmouth for any elderly buyer. Even if little care is required when an elderly buyer or tenant comes to Dartmouth, there must be a big concern that if and when any medical help is required, it won’t be there: no hospital, no X-ray, no injuries unit and no health and wellbeing centre.

“Lastly, where are jobs for breadwinners in the families that come? In my time, social housing constituted over half of all houses in Dartmouth. At that time, the national average was one in seven houses were social housing. That concentration was difficult for a town with no major employment opportunities and led to many families looking to find social housing elsewhere so that work could found and children could have a better chance after their education was complete.

“Things have not improved much from an employment perspective and this will put off buyers. That’s why I don’t think it will be built and indeed, it should not be built.”

A spokesman for the partnership said:“The proposals had already been presented to the town councillors, and their feedback influenced the intended tenure of homes, with a higher number of affordable homes planned than required by planning policy.

“The rent for these homes hasn’t been set yet, but will be in line with the government’s guidelines for affordable rents.

“As part of building the new homes we would work with our contractors to use local labour wherever possible. Once the homes have been completed there will be the potential for ongoing local employment through the delivery of domiciliary care.?”Landowners, New Barn Farm Limited are working with The Guinness Partnership to bring forward an outline planning application which they intend to submit imminently.”

Councillor David Gent, chairman of Dartmouth Town Council’s planning committee, said of on the scheme: “The assisted living homes will reduce the strain on care homes. There will be lots of open space and different styles of houses, so it won’t be lego land.

“Outline planning will not be sought until Easter and detailed planning by November. The first spade is planned to be in the ground in 2019.”