residents of Tavistock had an opportunity last Friday to see initial plans for a vast building project which could bring 750 new homes to Monksmead.

National housebuilder Bovis invited the public to an exhibition at the Bedford Hotel and sought views on the proposals.

Bovis hopes to build 'high quality, attractive and sustainable mixed use development' and in return will back the reinstatement of the Bere Alston to Tavistock railway line, which has remained dormant since 1968.

The company said comments from residents and local interest groups would be taken into account as part of the consultation leading to a planning application later this year. Devon County Council held its own public consultation on the rail line at the end of January.

Nevin Holden, Bovis's regional strategic land director, said Bovis has a strong presence in the South West with a new regional office in Exeter.

He said: 'This fulfils a company requirement to build in aspirational areas where people wish to live. Tavistock is a community hub for Plymouth and Exeter with a strong, historic identity and economic base of its own.'

Mr Holden denied any future development will just be any other large housing estate tacked on to Tavistock.

'We will utilise the Bovis product but use materials such as slate roofs and colour render so that the houses and buildings sit and fit in with the landscape. There will be a number of benefits to first-time buyers and families to provide affordable housing, as well a community hub and a new school in a sustainable environment.'

Mr Holden said he even had an enquiry from somebody interesting in buying one of the first plots.

Many people have raised concerns that such a huge housing project will substantially increase traffic flow, especially at peak commuting times.

However, Rob McGuinness, of CSA?Architects, said visitors he had talked to at the exhibition had expressed 'relief that there would be no relief road' — the original plan had proposed a road linking the Monksmead site through Crowndale.

Dave Lawes, from Hydrock engineering consultancy added: 'We are looking to improve junctions on the Callington and Plymouth roads and other improvements to make traffic flow easier, such as having at the approaches, two lanes instead of one.'

Planning consultant Ian Jewson said: 'This project is unique, a sustainable development linking the railway line to new housing. It is also an important part of the plan in the growth of Tavistock.'

But the scale of the development and traffic were a concern for many visiting the exhibition.

Jane Meckiff from Tavistock told the Times: 'Basically, the development is far too big — 250 houses would be just about acceptable but not 750. The railway, I think, would be a bit of a dead duck for the simple reason that a Tavistock/Bere Alston/Plymouth railway would not be a fast line and not much improvement, if any, on the bus services. Also, the railway will go to Plymouth Station but not the parts of Plymouth where the buses go.'

She made the point that 750 houses would probably mean two cars per household and 1,500 more cars to cope with on the Tavistock roads was just not acceptable.

One woman impressed with the presentation was Kim Bickfield from Tavistock: 'I found it very informative and they were very honest that they could not give precise information at this stage. I was also impressed they were open to ideas. I was pleased that they not just planning it as another big housing estate and there will a school and shops and a railway station.'

Clive Fairchild from Tavistock said: I'm sure Bovis Homes' development will be okay. The problem I have is with its size and access — 2,000 extra people in a town of 11,000 is too much. A single access point on to the Callington Road is inappropriate yet there is no suitable point for a second access. Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council need to fundamentally rethink the planning aspects.'

His wife, Kathy, said it was a good presentation, the plans generally well thought out in terms of housing types and facilities.

But she added: 'There are too many houses in one development and there is a major issue of traffic on the Callington Road, which is already a problem.'

She was also concerned with insufficient car parking spaces and questioned whether the existing sewage works would be able to cope with such a huge development.

'West Devon and Devon County Council have not given sufficient thought to the nature of Tavistock and its needs.'

Graham Kirkpatrick, of Parkwood Road, commended Bovis for the exhibition but added that the development would be 'Tavistock's satellite village'.

He said: 'Bovis is not directly concerned with road access but the company should be aware that the large, residential estate on Plymouth Road/Anderson Lane will require access to the railway station from the Morrison superstore area of Plymouth Road. If this is not provided residents will have the long, horseshoe trip by car via West Bridge to the proposed Callington Road, accessed by the proposed roundabout.'

Mr Kirkpatrick felt Bovis would gain much goodwill by providing a children's play area to compete with that in the Meadows.

A dedicated website was launched after the exhibition: http://www.bovishomes.co.uk/tavistock">www.bovishomes.co.uk/tavistock