West Devon's controversial development blueprint is being submitted to the Government today — despite calls for it to be reviewed in light of the Government's withdrawal of regional housing targets.

The core strategy document sets out housing and infrastructure needs for the borough up until 2026, but there has been criticism over the amount of housing planned for both Okehampton and Tavistock.

But the new Government is allowing local authorities to set the agenda as far as housing numbers are required, instead of setting its own targets. This has sparked pleas from many West Devon residents, councillors and Central Devon MP Mel Stride for the borough council to take another look at its figures.

Following a meeting with the council's leader and chief executive, the Conservative MP, who has campaigned against overdevelopment in Okehampton for the last four years, called on the council to suspend the core strategy process in order to reconsider the level of new housing allocated to Okehampton.

He said: 'The new government and changes in the planning process provide the council with an opportunity to revisit the level of new housing allocated to Okehampton.

'Consequently, I am urging the council to delay its submission of the core strategy to the secretary of state so that this opportunity can be fully assessed.'

But in a statement to the Times this week a borough council spokesperson said the authority was firm in its view and had supporting evidence that the level of housing provided in the core strategy was appropriate and necessary.

The submission of the document came after five years of extensive consultation and detailed work by the council.

Some 900 houses are planned for Okehampton and 750 for Tavistock over the next 16 years.

The spokesman said: 'The council has a duty to meet the housing needs of the borough and the core strategy enables the authority to ensure that an appropriate level of new homes can still be delivered, in the right locations.'

An independent inspector will now assess the document and a public examination will be held later this year. The inspector will consider all representations made on the strategy and may invite those people who made representations to attend the public hearing to give their views.

Following the examination, the inspector will produce a report for the council with his recommendations. The council must then make the changes recommended by the inspector in order to adopt the core strategy, which is likely to be in early 2011.

Cllr Diana Moyse, chairman of the future planning and housing committee, said the council was confident the strategy met the housing needs of the borough and enabled the education authority to improve education facilities, the health authority to enhance health facilities and, at the same time, improve traffic and transport services within the borough.

She said: 'The risk of not having the core strategy is that an increased amount of housing development could take place on other sites throughout the borough, without providing the infrastructure and facilities that local communities need.

'We have already been approached by developers who are looking to build new residential or retail schemes that do not form part of the strategy.

'The council has worked hard in making sure that local people have been involved in developing the plans in the core strategy. It is often the case that people have differing views about future development but the council strongly believes that the plans set out in the core strategy provide a balanced approach to meeting the needs of the local community.'

l A public meeting is being held tomorrow (Friday) at 7pm in the Ockment Centre, Okehampton, where it is hoped residents of West Devon will be able to question councillors about the core strategy.