The end of the ride for Atmos

A “long and extraordinary ride” is coming to an end next week with the expected winding-up of Totnes Community Builders.

At the AGM next Tuesday (11th November)  – to be held online – members are being asked to vote to formally wind up the Totnes Community Development Society, which for 18 years struggled to bring about the Atmos scheme for the redevelopment of the derelict Dairy Crest site.

At a meeting this summer where the directors outlined the financial situation of the Society, members present agreed – sadly – that the time had come to draw the Society to a close, and effectively shut the door on any hope of the Atmos dream coming true.

Director and driving force Rob Hopkins said at the time: “It’s been a long and extraordinary ride. The five of us who have carried this for a long time have reached the point where we can no longer see a way forward.” TCDS – now known as Totnes Community Builders – failed to buy the old Dairy Crest site in 2020 when the owners, Canadian firm Saputo, sold it to Fastglobe, an Essex based
industrial mastics company, for £1.35 million.

Then in May 2024 the final blow came when a planning appeal went in Fastglobe’s favour, albeit with many conditions attached. One, to provide a bat house with landscaping, has been approved by South Hams which may be a sign that things are moving on site, although a photo taken last week shows no evidence of development work beginning.

The Society’s draft accounts, which will be presented to the AGM, show a deficit of more than £750,000, but with £580,000 of that in the form of loans which – members were assured back in July – were going to be treated by the lenders as donations.

Members are urged to go online and join the meeting which will start at 7pm.