Stafford Close affordable homes
Stafford Close is the 18 home Passivhaus development in the heart of Christow, which was completed in 2017. It is made up of affordable housing with 14 houses for rent and 4 in shared ownership.
All of the rented properties were taken up by people from the village, many of whom would have been forced to move away without it. The development has won a number of awards and is seen as a template for the provision of affordable rural housing nationwide, being the first passivhaus development in any national park in the country.
The development was a joint initiative of the Christow Community Land Trust (CCLT) and Teign Housing with the land given to us by Teignbridge District Council. That land is now owned by the CCLT and the ground rent (approximately £3,000 a year) goes to the Trust and is used for the benefit of the village and local area.
Christow Village Map
With the help of local graphic designer Holly Stevens the Christow Community Land Trust has produced an A3 size map of the village and its immediate surroundings.
The map is printed on durable, recyclable plastic paper, and costs £3 to buy from Christow Stores.
Using Ordnance Survey data for accuracy and clarity the 1:6000 scale has resulted in a map that shows every house in Christow together with the outlines of the fields and woods that surround the village. It provides a degree of detail not to be found on conventionally published maps, showing footpaths, places of recreation and the range of village facilities from school and surgery to bus stops and letter boxes.
The reverse of the map provides information on village organisations as well as a summary of Christow’s topographical context and its history.
CCLT funds covered the up-front cost of producing the map with some of this money being recouped when copies are sold.
All new members of the CCLT receive a free map.
Archers’ Walk footpath, Steep Fields nature reserve
‘Steep Fields’ is the area to the East of Wood Lane on the edge of Christow, roughly the rectangle between the overgrown track by the ruined cottages in Wood Lane down to the stream. The fields were part of Newhouse Farm, farmed by the Edwards family for many years until it was sold in lots in 1966. Steep Fields were part of a 45-acre lot bought by the Archer family. The fields were too steep to be cultivated although we understand the field against the main road was ploughed by horses to plant corn during the 1st world war.
The fields cover an area of around 7 acres with mature oak trees, holly, gorse, hazel, brambles etc, with open areas where there are bluebells in the spring. There is plenty of wildlife because the fields have not been disturbed for many years, and the brook at the bottom of the fields adds to the pleasant environment.
The landowner (and former CCLT Director) Tom Archer, together with brother Sam, proposed that the area should be retained as a nature reserve with a permissive footpath running in a loop round the site. Thanks to the Archers’ generosity the path was created with the help of DNPA funding in early 2020.
You can watch short videos about the site here:
You can download an illustrated pdf leaflet with information on the site. We have many print copies – please ask if you would like one.
You can also download longer reports on breeding birds found on the site and its wildlife and habitats.