A 'MASTERPLAN' setting out the principles for development in Tavistock up to 2026 has just been released — but residents in the area will have only four weeks in which to have their say on its contents.

The masterplan relates to to the two areas of land allocated for development to the south and south west of Tavistock.

It creates a set of design principles and uses three frameworks — land use, design and delivery.

Land use sets out the main types of development and how it should be distributed. Design includes information about building materials, footpath and cycle inks, landscape features and 'green' guidance, while delivery is concerned with linking the sites together and a broad timescale for development.

The land to the south west of Tavistock includes provision for some 750 homes, plus the reinstatement of the Tavistock to Bere Alston railway, associated infrastructure, a railway station, parking, a small-scale retail unit, and land for a primary school, should it be required.

The land to the south of the town, next to Plymouth Road, is considered suitable for employment uses and includes provision for a health and social care facility, small workshop spaces, live-work units, light industry, storage and office development.

Michelle Luscombe, West Devon Borough Council's planning policy officer, told last week's meeting of the council's community services committee that creating a master plan was a requirement of the council's core strategy and was a tool in which planners, in conjunction with developers, could move forward to a delivery phase.

'We don't want to close any doors and the whole way in which the master plan is written is not prescriptive, rather more enabling,' said Ms Luscombe.

Cllr Alison Clish-Green said she was concerned about the way some of the detail within the masterplan could be interpreted. And she felt some descriptions — for example, 'single platform shelter' when referring to the railway station were actually too prescriptive.

Cllr Clish-Green was also worried about the four-week public consultation for such an important document.

She said: 'We say all the time we want to consult but we always do it for six weeks. People are going to be thinking "What are they trying to push through?" I think we should consult for six weeks, especially as it includes the Easter holidays.'

Cllr Mandy Ewings said the council should stop holding consultation periods during school holidays.

'We do it all the time and we get a lot of flak for it,' she said.

Marian Playle, head of planning, said a four-week consultation period was now standard.

'We are going to see developers coming in soon.

'We can get this done and dusted with effective consultation in four weeks and I would really like the team to be in a robust position to negotiate with developers,' she said.

And Cllr Diane Moyse said she had been concerned initially about the shorter consultation time, but the over-riding concern was that a developer was already 'snapping at our heels' regarding house building.

The committee agreed the contents of the draft master plan for Tavistock and that the consultation period should be held between March 7 and April 8.

People will be able to view the document, ask questions and give their views at a masterplanning exhibition at Tavistock Town Hall on Thursday, March 21 from 11am to 4pm.

The document will also be available on the council's website at http://www.westdevon.gov.uk">www.westdevon.gov.uk along with a form for people to make their comments.

All views must be received by 5pm on Monday, April 8.