TOWN councillors objected to a new major housing plan for the north of Tavistock at a meeting on Tuesday.

The outline application by Cavanna Homes (South West) Ltd is for up to 148 homes of mixed affordable and open market housing with areas of open space, a new vehicular access and associated site infrastructure on land adjacent to New Launceston Road to the north-west of Tavistock. The site comprises a number of open fields to a total of 5.85 hectares in size.

Concern was raised at the meeting that the three fields proposed to be built on had not been allocated under the new Joint Local Plan — the emerging plan for West Devon, South Hams and Plymouth, which is set to replace the current local plan (Our Plan) if it is voted in.

In the planning statement, the agent for the applicant states: ‘The application site is allocated for residential development in Policy OP17 in the West Devon Local Plan (Our Plan) publication version, which was published in February 2015. It is, however, recognised that Our Plan, and this allocation, does not yet form part of the Development Plan (Joint Local Plan). Nevertheless, given the prevailing local planning position in terms of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the delivery rate of the strategic residential allocation in Tavistock, pressure from speculative residential developments and the comments of the Core Strategy inspector, West Devon Borough Council officers have recognised the need to bring forward the site in advance of the Joint Local Plan’s adoption.’

Councillors raised concerns that the proposed fields were not allocated in the new plan but the two fields adjoining the proposed site were.

Cllr Paul Ward said: ‘This is a major application. I understand the site previously had consent for a garden centre. We need to think about the fact that the three fields are not in the Joint Local Plan, which is not in place yet but the plan is there and the sites for development have been allocated. The next two fields south of this site have been allocated so there could end up being five fields built on.’

Cllr Colin Rogers said: ‘If it is not included in the plan and the planning committee has been consistent in refusing applications outside of the plan and in the knowledge that the two lower fields are in the plan, my recommendation is that they will have to wait.’

The council voted to recommend refusal for the application mainly because the site is not wholly encompassed in the emerging Joint Local Plan, among several other reasons.

The final decision lies with West Devon Borough Council and a decision is expected to be made in October.