3.4 Chagford are taken from the Design Statement: © encouraging business development by land release and permitting imaginative Part 3 The Core Strategy says the following about Chagford (section 3.5.3): change of use for buildings A traditional moorland centre and, like © enlarge the industrial area at the Ashburton, an ancient stannary town. Crannaford’s site There is an abundance of fine granite © provide a new self-contained Tourist buildings, with examples from the Information Centre [TIC] for the town medieval period to the 19th century. and actively promote the area for tourism It boasts a wide and interesting range © allow change of use of properties of shops. to guest houses and hotels © Chagford’s vision looks to: encourage and maintain the current © sustain the vibrant local service economy community facilities. and enhance the tourist economy 3.4.3 © provide a wider range of For planning purposes, the business accommodation opportunities estate at Crannafords Industrial Park is to meet the needs of local people considered to be an outlier of the built © improve access, parking provision up area of Chagford. The adjacent livestock market is now seldom used. and traffic circulation If this land becomes available, and © conserve the town’s distinctive there is a demand locally for employment character and heritage as a space, enlargement of the estate onto Stannary town. this land would be considered favourably. Proposals to improve tourism The Chagford Design Statement accommodation and other tourist 3.4.1 facilities will need to be developed in The preparation of the Chagford Design ways that do not exacerbate parking or Statement (May 2009) involved a traffic circulation problems or seriously considerable amount of work and reduce housing opportunities. In any consultation with the local community. new development, the need to conserve The Chagford Design Group comprises or enhance the character and appearance representatives of the Parish Council, of the area will be an important factor. business community and residents of Policies within this plan will help to Chagford. protect the shops in the central shopping area of the town, which is centred on The Design Statement’s vision is: the Square, North Street, High Street, 'To ensure Chagford remains and the eastern end of Mill Street, and economically viable with a the housing development proposed will vibrant community spirit'. help to ensure their continued viability. Its three main elements concern: greater Providing a wider range of local employment, attracting more visitors, accommodation opportunities and enhancing community spirit. to meet the needs of local people The document puts forward ways for 3.4.4 development to support the vibrancy The design statement proposed the and community spirit of the town. The following: rigorous and inclusive way in which it was © provide a variety of affordable produced means that it is appropriate to housing for the community give it great weight in this document. © provide sheltered accommodation Sustaining the vibrant local service economy and a residential care home © and enhancing the tourist economy identify areas of land around 3.4.2 Chagford for general needs housing The following proposals, focused on provision over the next 20 years. business development and tourism, Dartmoor National Park Authority 98 Development Management and Delivery Development Plan Document Adopted Version July 2013 The future of Bellacouch Meadows, 3.4.6 which includes Bretteville Field, nearest The Chagford Design Statement indicated to the main road, is the key to potential for long term housing development in Chagford. The development between the south-west Part 3 acknowledged priority is development part of Lamb Park and Mill Street. The suitable for elderly people, and Authority does not feel that this is the best affordable housing of a variety of types direction for growth in Chagford and that and sizes to provide for local households. the capacity for additional traffic through This part of town also offers scope for Lamb Park is limited. In order to retain the provision of another car park, the option identified by the community, including coach parking, and for green a possible access through Lamb Park should infrastructure. Bellacouch Meadows are be retained. However, the Authority feels of landscape and heritage significance, that a modest extension of Lamb Park on forming the green setting on the land to the north of the existing estate is approach to town from Easton Cross a better option and site. Development on and hosting evidence of tin working that this site could provide an attractively reflects Chagford’s historic importance designed extension to Lamb Park and meet as a Stannary town. Development at the level of need for affordable housing this location will need to be undertaken identified in the 2007 survey. in a sensitive manner. Proposal CHG1 3.4.5 An area of land 1.3 ha in extent to the There has been very little recent housing north of Lamb Park, Chagford, is allocated development in Chagford in recent for affordable housing to meet identifed years, less than in any of the other Local local needs. Development of this site Centres in the National Park. At the should include an area of recreational open same time, a survey looking into the space for community use. need for affordable housing in the 3.4.7 parish was conducted in 2007 and Despite the allocation of land at Lamb Park, identified a need for 22 affordable the Authority agrees with the Chagford homes in the short term. The need for Design Statement that the Bellacouch affordable housing is supported by West Meadow area, including Bretteville Field, is Devon Borough Council which identifies the key to future development in Chagford. Chagford as a priority settlement for the In doing so it is recognised that the area is delivery of affordable housing in its extremely sensitive and development should housing strategy. In its conclusions, the proceed in a very careful manner to provide 2007 housing survey also indicated that an attractive setting for the town and be additional research was desirable to planned in partnership with the community. identify the nature and extent of the It should be seen as an area that will be need for housing to meet the developed over a lengthy period of time, requirements of elderly persons in the responding to local affordable housing locality and a study was carried out in needs in at least two phases commencing 2010. This identified a need from with the land adjoining Lower Street, and Chagford and its surrounding rural in accordance with a development brief. parishes for up to 25 units of specialist The essential components of the accommodation. Almost all of the development are contained in policy CHG2. need came from elderly owner occupiers wishing to downsize. It should be Proposal CHG2 noted that improvements to waste An area of land 3.7 ha in extent to the water treatment capacity would be east of Bretteville Close, Chagford, required to accommodate the full is allocated for mixed use including: additional demand of the allocated sites (i) a public car park to include provision in Chagford. Development coming in for coaches; advance of South West Water’s capital (ii) housing for the elderly to meet investment programme may therefore identified local needs; require developer contributions towards (iii) other housing, to include affordable these improvements. housing to meet identified local needs; Dartmoor National Park Authority Development Management and Delivery Development Plan Document 99 Adopted Version July 2013 (iv) an area of recreational open space and tinners to the town, did much to for community use. sustain its economy. The only physical assets recalling Chagford’s tin industry Part 3 Development of this site should: heritage is the evidence of tin (a) provide recreational open space streaming in Biera Wood, and on that protects the area of Bellacouch Meadow, which will be archaeological interest; conserved as part of the green (b) positively incorporate existing on-site infrastructure provision. However, drainage into recreational open space; while there is little to recall it in (c) allow for the provision of a road existing buildings, the Square would linking Lower Street with Westcott undoubtedly have been an important Lane. location concerned with the tin trade and its quality and character should Proposals at CHG2 should accord with be sustained. This is an aim set out in a comprehensive masterplan for the the Chagford Design Statement. entire site prepared in association with the local community, relevant 3.4.10 stakeholders and the Authority. Another facet of Chagford’s heritage Improving access, parking provision is that the town had the distinction of and traffic circulation being the first place west of London 3.4.8 to light its streets using electricity, The Chagford Design Statement includes generated at the old blanket and serge a number of proposals on these issues: mill. The Chagford Design Statement © provide a new car park for Chagford, proposal on renewable energy (which is also including provision for some underpinned by a study of the potential coach parking; for locally generated renewable energy © provide a link road to Westcott Lane -Chagford Action on Sustainable in any proposal to develop the Energy) gives this historical resonance Bretteville Close land; a modern expression: © identify areas of land around the © encourage and support development town for off-street car parking; that will allow Chagford to be self © work with providers to improve local sufficient in energy use. transport links and allow development that will reduce the use of motor 3.4.11 vehicles (e.g. Moorcar community The fields to the west of New Street based car club). have considerable archaeological significance and historic interest, some The first two proposals are reflected in being medieval open fields.