A rare wildlife haven has been saved from the bulldozers this week, thanks in part to the swift action of our orchard team.
Proposals for 15 bungalows in Newton Poppleford were turned down when planning chiefs were made aware of their potentially devastating impact on the countryside and an important habitat.
The site was classed by our Traditional Orchard Survey as a priority habitat, as it is home to a variety of plant and animal species.
After receiving our objection and other details, East Devon District Council officers said the development would fail to preserve the traditional orchard, and concluded that the costs of the development outweighed the benefits.
Thank you to everyone involved helping us to achieve this victory for wildlife.
If you have concerns over any developments of orchard sites near you please get in touch with our Orchard Biodiversity Officer, Steve Oram, by emailing steve.oram@ptes.org.