Plans For New Homes Go Before The Public

Plans to transform a run-down and underused part of Totnes into a thriving residential area are to be put up for public scrutiny next month.

The detailed designs for phase one of the Baltic Wharf revival will be unveiled at a public drop-in event on 18th and 19th May at the Totnes United Free Church.

It follows months of work by the Baltic Wharf design team to find out how local people want the site to look and feel.

For the hundreds of people who took part in the consultation, it will be their first chance to see their ideas translated into real designs.

The drawings relate to part of the site closest to the town. They will reveal the detailed layout for up to 95 homes including a co-housing scheme.  

A landscape and wildlife strategy for the entire 26-acre site will also be on show.

Architects shaped the designs using feedback from a wide variety of interested parties including community groups, local residents, hard to reach groups and two public drop-in events.

An early outline of the plans was shown to community groups in late March to check public suggestions had been properly interpreted. 

If the proposals get the public thumbs up, Baltic Wharf's owners expect to put in a detailed planning application in early summer 2012.

Owners TQ9 Partnership and developers Bloor Homes have stressed there will still be time following the workshop to make improvements if needed.

Subject to approval, construction could begin on phase one by early 2013.

In total, the 26-acre former timber yard has outline planning permission for more than 300 job spaces, up to 190 homes, a fully modernised boatyard, retirement village and riverside plaza and around 12 acres of public open space. The site is being developed in phases, with the entire project expected to be complete by 2016/17.

Details of the consultation so far, including steering group minutes, architects presentations and drop in event and workshop plans and reports are available at www.balticwharf.co.uk/revival