Torbay Council has approved its first ever Local Development Order application, allowing South Devon College to fast track future developments.
The College is embarking on an ambitious plan to extend and significantly enhance its buildings and facilities over the next 15 years to improve the education, skills and training offer for the local community and wider area.
Exeter and Plymouth based LHC teams (with planning consultant Bilfinger GVA) have been instrumental in the process of putting together the Local Development Order proposal, thought to be the first of its kind for a college campus, which was unanimously approved by councillors at Torbay’s Development Management Committee on the 14th March 2016.
A Local Development Order (LDO) is a tool that allows Local Planning Authorities to grant planning permission for certain types of development within a defined area, and by doing so, removing the need for planning applications to be made.
The granting of the LDO at South Devon College main campus is set to improve certainty for future development proposals, providing a more flexible approach to development or redevelopment, and encourage growth and investment at the Campus.
The LDO will implement up to a maximum of 23,000sqm of new floor area across the site, supported by additional parking, external lighting and landscape and urban design.
The first phase of development will include an iconic and inspirational Hi-Tech Centre (concept sketch shown above), which should be completed by 2018.
