A pioneering housing scheme designed to generate an income for the Dartington Hall Trust and to help ease the local housing crisis, has been unveiled.

The trust wants to build 45 energy efficient homes on the edge of the estate, 30 per cent of which would be affordable, and with some also being rented at below the market rate to estate staff and key workers.

The remainder will be sold on the open market.

The proposed scheme spans two sites on Dartington Lane, which have been allocated for development in the Joint Local Plan.

The trust is inviting residents to have their say on its proposals, which it claims will “set standards for the provision of larger residential developments in a semi-rural setting.”

But critics have hailed it a “great shame” the trust is considering “once again, selling off its assets in order to keep going.”

The scheme has been conceived by award-winning architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners and landscape designer, Dan Pearson Studios, both based in London.

The duo have fused the modernist architecture of The Dartington Experiment with the latest advances in technology, materials, construction methods and landscaping practice to produce a scheme that delivers superior energy efficiency, adapts to and enriches its setting, and reduces local construction impact by 95 per cent, says the trust.

In a statement, the trust added: “The proposed homes boast clever modular design which are mostly prefabricated, with just five per cent of the construction work undertaken on-site.

“This not only significantly reduces the disruption, noise and dust normally associated with development projects but infuses the production process with the precision engineering required to deliver a superior energy performance.

 “Consequently, the development is expected to surpass the current Building Regulations standards by 35 per cent for regulated carbon emissions and by 40 per cent in fabric energy efficiency.”

The trust says the income generated will help establish a new, sustainable endowed income and help meet local housing need.

“The one to four bedroom dwellings will be arranged in one and two storey clusters along contemporary terraces with shared gardens and amenity space to minimise the development footprint and any potential impact on views, heritage assets and the natural setting.”

Local campaign group, Save Dartington, urges the trust to fulfil its promise to make the development as environmentally progressive as possible and to fully consult, and take on board, the views of the community.

A spokesperson said: “Save Dartington acknowledges the proposed site is in the local plan but considers it a great shame that Dartington Hall Trust (DHT) is considering, once again, selling off its assets in order to keep going.

"We urge DHT to fulfil its promise made to the campaign group that they would make any development as environmentally progressive as possible, and take the opportunity to actually consult their neighbours and those who will be impacted by the build, and to ensure that they really take their views on board

"We would also like our concern of loss of biodiversity, which accompanies any build, to be noted, and urge the trust to acknowledge our concerns of increased traffic and traffic pollution along the Ashburton Road, which  is already an Air Quality Management Area.

"It is a shame the trust cannot think of any other way of raising money than increasing pollution and removing our green environment."

The proposals are available to view and comment on online at www.consultation.dartington.org until 5pm on Tuesday February 8, 2022; or in person at an exhibition attended by trustees and their planning and design team at The Gallery, Dartington Estate on Tuesday February 1 from 1pm to 7pm and Wednesday February 2 from 5pm to 8pm.