KEY issues that could affect life in West Devon are under the scrutiny of planning inspectors over these coming weeks.

A public examination began last week to look at the detail of the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan, which sets out how Tavistock, villages and hamlets could grow in the years to come.

Inspectors will hold a one-day session as part of the examination at West Devon Borough Council’s Kilworthy Park offices in Tavistock on Thursday, March 1 which any members of the public can attend.

With a population of around 12,450 people, Tavistock is the largest town in West Devon and, if the local plan is approved, could see an increase of 1,143 homes and 18,600 sqm of employment space.

The plan was submitted to the secretary of state last July by West Devon Borough Council, South Hams District Council and Plymouth City Council and now it is up to planning inspectors to review the plan and make a decision.

Cllr Philip Sanders, leader of West Devon Borough Council, said: ‘The Joint Local Plan is probably the single most important document which will underpin the growth and the sustainability of our towns and villages over the next 20 years.

‘The examination in public is now underway. This is where the inspectors will scrutinise all of the documents that we have submitted alongside the questions raised by concerned residents, developers and interested parties. During this time, they will be looking at all three areas in the Joint Local Plan, Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon.’

The plan seeks to enhance the vibrancy and sustainability of Tavistock — providing for mixed use development to help meet local housing needs and employment opportunities to support long-term resilience of the town.

The spatial priorities for development in Tavistock include reinstating the former rail link between Tavistock and Bere Alston, improving secondary school facilities, delivery of a new primary school in the west of the town and an extra care facility.

Sites for homes include 250 on land at Plymouth Road; 600 at Callington Road, 148 on New Launceston Road; 110 homes on Butcher Park Hill; 23 homes on Brook Lane; 12 homes at The Trendle; and extra care housing at the former Kelly College Preparatory site.

Within the plan it makes a point to Tavistock’s economic relationship with Plymouth due to many residents commuting to the city on a daily basis.

With further developments planned for the town, the councils said it felt there was a need to provide more ‘attractive’ and ‘realistic’ alternatives, whilst also continuing to maintain and improve the A386 as a vital transport route.

The Callington Road site benefits from an outline planning permission that requires a minimum of 600 dwellings and a contribution towards the re-instatement of the Tavistock to Plymouth railway line (under planning application 00554/2013/O). The provision of a primary school and local convenience store, together with links to local footpaths will facilitate the creation of a high quality, distinct community that also benefits from good links to services in Tavistock.

In the plan it said: ‘The long term management of traffic movement through Tavistock will benefit from the introduction of a rail service to Plymouth via the Tamar Valley Line, providing opportunities for people to travel into Plymouth for work and for those visiting Tavistock for tourism and leisure.’

The Peninsula Rail Task Force, a consortium of partners that includes Devon County Council and Network Rail, is working to assemble the land and funding for the re-instatement of the rail line.

This forms part of a wider objective of the Task Force, which is a phased development of rail links serving Exeter and Okehampton, Plymouth and Tavistock that will deliver improved travel to work connectivity with added tourism benefits for Dartmoor National Park. The Task Force is involved with exploring the potential for the full re-opening of the ‘northern’ route from Exeter to Plymouth via Okehampton.

Cllr Sanders added: ‘The inspectors will be coming to Tavistock on March 1 to look at West Devon areas specifically, anyone is welcome to attend but only those people pre-selected by the inspector can take part in the discussion.’