‘Essential’ affordable homes for local residents look set to be built in Beer.

An application by the Beer Community Land Trust to demolish the old social club at Berry Hill and construct six homes was approved unanimously by East Devon District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, July 22.

The plan is for four townhouses and two two-bedroom apartments, all affordable and for local people.

Under normal planning policy only 50 per cent would need to be affordable, but the applicant intends that they all should be.

Rachel Collins, the architect for the Beer Community Land Trust, said: “Beer has around 30 per cent holiday homes which inflate the local house prices, therefore schemes like these really are essential if local people are going to remain living in the village.”

Cllr Philip Skinner described the scheme as ‘fantastic’ and said: “This is an excellent application for a difficult site in planning terms, and Beer is a place that is very difficult for young people to stay and find somewhere to live.”