Local housing developer Allison Homes has confirmed that it is not abandoning its Winkleigh site and expects to start the second phase of development this spring.

The announcement came after a rumour spread that the development company was quitting the High Moor View site in Winkleigh without completing the second stage of development.

An Allison Homes spokesperson, said: “We can confirm there is no truth in the rumours that we are planning to abandon the site at Winkleigh.

“Good progress has been made on phase one of our High Moor View development in Winkleigh, and works on the second phase of the development are expected to start later this spring. We intend to deliver a mixture of 75 affordable and private, two, three and four-bedroom homes.

“At Allison Homes, we are proud of the homes we build, and we are dedicated to creating thriving communities for the people who live there. Some of our commitments include our ongoing partnership with Winkleigh Primary School, the new orchard that is being planted for the whole community to enjoy and we have installed a defibrillator at the development which will be gifted to the community once the development is complete.

“We very much care about the existing community as much as we care about our new residents, and we hope we can bring new lifeblood to the already flourishing village.”

The High Moor View site has previously caused some controversy after some residents raised concerns that Allison Homes were not doing enough to protect the wildlife in the area. Allison Homes said it was implementing a range of initiatives to ensure that any lost habitat was replaced.