THE character of Tavistock could be lost if plans to build more than 600 new homes in the town go ahead.

That was the stark warning last week from a former mayoress of the town.

Pat Warne told the West Devon Local Plan Inquiry in Okehampton that people were concerned Tavistock was taking the ?lion?s share of development?.

She acknowledged there was a need for more housing in the town, but said: ?There doesn?t seem to be enough provision for infrastructure to be in place.?

Cllr Warne, an Independent member of West Devon Council who is not seeking re-election next month, said Tavistock was a sensitive location and a disproportionate amount of new housing could threaten its attractive qualities.

She said: ?Irreparable damage will be done to a characterful town. To put 605 houses, plus what is already ongoing, just seems unreal and totally unfair on the people of Tavistock, who came to live in this charming town.?

Cllr Warne said particular sites of concern were land at the Manor earmarked for 140 dwellings and at the Callington Road site where around 250 homes are planned at a density of about 35 dwellings per hectare.

She told the inquiry last week that she believed there was more capacity in Okehampton for an expansion population as it had easy transport access.

Cllr Warne said traffic problems in Tavistock were so bad at peak times that the town could barely cope, without the increase in traffic resulting from 605 more homes.

She proposed that areas of land at Pixon Lane and Westbridge Industrial Estate, currently used for industrial and commercial businesses, could be redeveloped for housing.

She said homes at this site close to the Meadows and the town centre would be highly desirable, and the business premises could relocate to other existing employment areas.

Principal forward planning officer Chris Dunford told the inquiry: ?I don?t think there is an awful lot of scope to reduce the level of housing. It is certainly not the case we are putting everything in Tavistock or Okehampton, we have identified other sites.

?It is inevitable that Tavistock will have to accommodate the majority of housing in the south of the plan area, because of the nature of the area.?

But Mr Dunford said no new business and employment opportunities would be created if new employment land was taken up by existing businesses. ?This would provide new housing, but no new jobs. We do think the site provides a useful function,? he said.

A written submission on traffic issues in Bedford Square was also made by Cllr Warne?s husband, former town mayor John Warne. The written evidence to Inquiry Inspector William Carlow stated the paving of Bedford Square had had a major impact on traffic flow and congestion in the town centre.

Mr Warne said there was an ?ever-worsening situation? in Bedford Square ?causing tailbacks which are likely to impact on the town?s vitality and viability, if not addressed now or monitored on a regular basis?.

He proposed an additional traffic lane across Bedford Square to relieve congestion or regular monitoring of traffic around the town centre with a view to alleviating such bottlenecks.

The inquiry inspector will consider all the objections to the Plan, and report back his verdict to the borough.

The additional housing requirement for West Devon is set out in the Devon Structure Plan. The Local Plan sets out where West Devon Borough Council intends to allocate the required new housing and its policies for the development and use of land in the borough for the next ten years.

In the first draft of the plan Tavistock was earmarked for 550 new homes, but following objections from other villages about their housing level, Tavistock had to take some of the shortfall, bringing the total to 605.