A PROTEST rally to demonstrate people power was held last week as West Devon residents united to shout: 'No more houses!' Okehampton residents, joined by a small number from Tavistock, marched to the West Devon Borough Council offices, brandishing a forest of placards. They read: 'Save Our Town,' 'No More Houses in Okehampton,' and 'No to 900 houses in Okehampton'. The protest came after proposals from the Government, outlined in West Devon Borough Council's Local Development Framework, that would see a minimum of 900 extra homes built in Okehampton by 2026 — a proposal that has caused outrage among many Okehampton residents as well as the town council. The protesters, armed with a petition of close to 1,000 signatures against the proposed homes, were met by a delegation from the borough, including corporate director Nick Payne. West Devon Borough Cllr for Okehampton East Edna Hicks, who joined the protest, said: 'We're here because we're opposed to 900 houses in Okehampton. I'm dead against these houses. 'We can't cope, there isn't the infrastructure —it's heartbreaking really. Maybe there is a need for more houses but these houses are for commuters, not for local people. I wish they'd explain to us why we have to have them.' Half a dozen Okehampton residents, accompanied by town mayor Tony Leech, were invited to a meeting behind closed doors with Diana Moyse, chairman of the future planning and housing committee. Cllr Leech reported a constructive meeting where each person and their concerns were listened to. He said: 'We now need to get some expert advice to move forward. 'We need to make this bigger and take it to all the mayors and councillors in Devon. What the Government are forcing on the rural environment is wrong.' The protesters were joined on their march by the prospective parliamentary candidates for Central Devon, Liberal Democrat Sally Morgan and Conservative Mel Stride. Cllr Morgan, adding her support to the protesters, said: 'There is a need for housing that is affordable which is often different to "affordable" housing. It's ridiculous that we have to build 100 houses to have 30 affordable ones, it doesn't make sense.' Mr Stride pledged his support to Okehampton and stated there was too much development planned with not enough infrastructure to support it while maintaining it was still early enough in the process to make a difference. On returning to Okehampton, in case their message had not been heard clearly or loudly enough, the protesters marched down Fore Street. The borough council has stated that, if these developments are approved, building is not expected to start until 2012 and it maintains there is no suggestion they should be built without the required infrastructure. Cllr Moyse said: 'We listened carefully to the residents, and understand their concerns about the possible impact of new development and appreciate the level of interest. 'We are working very closely alongside organisations who are tasked to provide infrastructure to ensure that everything is in place to serve these new developments. 'It should be noted, however, that the number of homes to be built is set by central Government, based on the estimate of need. 'West Devon Borough Council's responsibility is to find sites for these homes, taking into account the need to protect our outstanding environment and to balance that with new jobs. 'It's important that everyone, particularly our young people, is able to find suitable housing in their local area. This means that there is a need for new housing in West Devon.' Cllr Leech, working in conjunction with the mayors of Hatherleigh and Tavistock, is producing a letter to go to Parliament and to all the MPs as the next step forward to the opposition of the current proposed development. Working together, the mayors hope to outline how infrastructure issues need to be addressed before building starts and not after, how 'affordable' housing must be truly affordable to people in Devon and how the current housing policy is detrimental to rural areas and will endanger the social structure of rural towns. Said Cllr Leech: 'You can't treat a market town in the same way as big cities. If any Government is serious about consultation then they have to listen. We need to get MPs to take a firm message to Parliament that the rural community will come out fighting —and we will.' l See Letters, page 4
