WEST DEVON Borough Council has earmarked funds to ensure future development in the borough is well designed and the local community has a say in it.

At a meeting of the council's future planning and housing committee this week councillors vowed to take control instead of developers taking the lead when it comes to new homes.

Members agreed to allocate up to £60,000 to employ design experts to assist in the masterplanning of housing developments subject to the core strategy going ahead which will shape the future of the borough over the next 15 years.

The outcome of the public inquiry into the core strategy, which proposes 750 new homes for Tavistock and 900 for Okehampton, is expected in the new few weeks.

Head of housing and strategic development Marion Playle said she felt very strongly that the housing allocations for the borough were not just rows of housing but well designed, connected developments and it was fundamental that the council worked with local communites to take them forward.

'It is important that we drive good development,' she said.

She said the council did not have design expertise in house as it was a very specialised area of work.

Any design company employed by the council would work with officers from the shared services of West Devon and South Hams.

Cllr Mandy Govier said many of the things developers promised never came to fruition.

She said: 'As an authority we have to become a lot stronger with developers in order to get what we want.'

It was also said the council should be more pro-active on enforcement action.

Principal planning officer Jo Perry said: 'This is an opportunity to do something different and achieve something really good for the benefit of our towns.'