COUNCILLOR Mathew is correct (Letters March 16) in saying that with the adoption of the Local Plan Revision in March 2005 that the matter is now closed. Many people will come to their own conclusions with the passage of time as to whether the outcome of that Local Plan met their expectations. The democratic process will allow those same people to register their approval or otherwise at the appropriate time right across West Devon. The Local Plan has moved on. We now have the LDF (Local Development Framework) within the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004 where communities are quite rightly at the centre of the planning process. As part of the LDF, West Devon Borough Council, through the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), has to explain how the council intends to ensure that the people of West Devon are able to be fully involved in planning for the future of their communities, both in terms of the preparation of the LDF and the determination of planning applications. In the light of Cllr Mathew?s comments in your paper I would leave it to your readers to see how they lie with this SCI. I would encourage electors to ask to follow its development and come to their own judgement. The people of Bere Alston and other communities within West Devon must be encouraged to get involved at the early stages of this new planning process so that lessons can be learned from the Local Plan. Electors must make sure that locally-elected members are made fully aware of their views so that policies are developed and included within the evolving planning process that fully reflect those views. We should be placing the community firmly at the start of that planning process, not reactive to decisions already made. Cllr Roy Connelly West Devon Borough Council Representing Tavistock North
