AN ambitious plan to determine development in West Devon has been nominated for a prestigious regional planning prize.

The Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan (JLP) is one of eight projects in the South West in the running to win one of the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) South West Awards for Planning Excellence.

The RTPI represents 25,000 planning professionals worldwide and promotes spatial planning, shapes policy and raises professional standards.

The Awards for Planning Excellence celebrate the contribution planners and planning make to society, highlighting exceptional examples of planning and inspiring others to achieve the same high standards. The awards have been run by the RTPI South West for over 30 years to recognise planning excellence.

The Joint Local Plan is a blueprint for development covering West Devon, Plymouth and South Hams up until 2034, including important issues such as health, transport, homes, jobs, the economy, green spaces and infrastructure. It has been the subject of more than a year of planning and discussions between local communities, neighbouring councils, landowners, businesses and developers interested in shaping the future of the area.

The plan is due to go out to public consultation later this year before being adopted.

It makes provision for 26,000 new homes across West Devon, Plymouth and the South Hams, of which 6,600 will be affordable homes to rent and buy, with 86% planned for brownfield sites in Plymouth.

In West Devon, 17 sites were allocated for housing, most of which already had planning permission for development or had already been built by the time the JLP was adopted. Dartmoor is not included in the plan.

In Tavistock there is an allocation for 1,143 homes at various sites in the town, many of which already had planning permission, including sites at Callington Road, New Launceston Road, Butcher Park Hill, Brook Lane, Plymouth Road and the old Mount Kelly Preparatory School site.

The plan also aims to protect important employment land in the town, particularly Pixon Lane, and reinforces the protection for the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the World Heritage Site and Dartmoor National Park.

The JLP was submitted for the RTPI South West Awards for Planning Excellence by Plymouth City Council in the category of ‘excellence in spatial planning’.

Suzanne D’Arcy, chair of RTPI South West, said: ‘The shortlisted entries are a mix of outstanding planning, reflecting the really high standards and achievements of the planning profession throughout the South West.

‘Given the high calibre of entries this year, the judges will no doubt find it difficult to pick an overall winner.’

Lead member for the Joint Local Plan at West Devon Borough Council Councillor Caroline Mott said: ‘I’m thrilled that the hard work and professionalism of the Joint Local Plan team at West Devon, Plymouth and South Hams councils has been recognised with this nomination.

‘Our three areas may seem very different to some people, but we all share a determination to create exceptional places to live and work.’

Other projects in the running for the awards are Dawlish Countryside Park, Making Changes — Bath Preservation Trust, McArthurs Warehouse in Bristol, Regeneration of the former railway lands in Radstock, planning to ensure nationally significant projects realise tangible legacies (NSIPs) by Sedgemoor District Council, The Carriage Shed in Swindon and Waking the Watergate by Sedgemoor District Council.

The winners will be announced in November.