The owner of Ottery’s former factory says he is just putting the ‘finishing touches’ to a new application to build houses at the derelict site.

Paul Conway confirmed in a letter to Ottery Town Council the new proposals could be submitted as soon as next month.

But Mr Conway, managing director of the Churchill Property Group who own the part of the old mill and factory site, has not revealed any details about what the plans will entail.

At Monday’s Ottery Town Council meeting Mayor Glyn Dobson read out the letter, which said three meetings with planners at East Devon District Council about the application had been ‘productive’.

Mr Conway said in 2011 he wanted to submit a new plan by the end of the year, but issues over sewage had seen the scheme stall.

South West Water said they would block any proposal, as Ottery’s sewage treatment plant is at capacity, but it looks as though those issues may finally have been ironed out.

Previous plans to develop the land in a joint scheme with co-owners Tesco, were hampered by a public backlash.

But Mr Conway has confirmed the new application will not be in conjunction with the supermarket giant.