EXHIBITIONS giving the public the chance to comment on plans for West Devon's future have been held around the borough this week.
The consultation events are seeking people's views on the changes in the second deposit of West Devon Borough Council's local plan. The exhibition was held in North Tawton, last Thursday, Tavistock, on Monday, and today is in Okehampton Charter Hall, from 2-7pm. The North Tawton event drew almost 250 people.
The original plan went before the public during the autumn of 2000, and more than 1,100 comments from residents and organisations were received.
Under the Structure Plan for the whole of Devon adopted in 1999, West Devon must find sites for 4,100 homes and provide 35 hectares of employment land. Principal forward planning officer Chris Dunford said the local plan had also been affected by Government requirements to increase densities and provide a mix of housing.
'Its not the density itself that effects the quality of living. It's the design of the development,' said Mr Dunford, explaining that the authority had more control over this aspect than previously.
Councillors and members of the public have expressed concern over increased town centre traffic, particularly in Okehampton where it was felt the existing road network might not be able to cope with the population expansion.
Borough head of planning Stephen Gill said the consultation process asked for comments only on changes to the local plan since the first draft. Mr Gill said this was an opportunity for people to get involved in 'shaping local planning policy rather than reacting to it'.
'Obviously, we can't please all of the people all of the time, but where it has been possible an awful lot of consideration has been given and hopefully objections and concerns will have been overcome,' he said.
Some key changes within the latest draft are:
l Idenfifying a specific site for an additional primary school in Okehampton to meet the population expansion resulting from new homes being built in the town.
l A reduction to the number of new houses to be built in Bere Alston, cut by more than a third, from 60 to 25, to meet objectors concerns about access problems.
l An increase in size of the housing site at Bishopmead, Tavistock, and additional employment facilities space at a nearby site.
A housing site between North Road and New Road in Lifton has also been deleted, objectors were concerned the site was close to the flood plain.
Another site at Lifton already has planning permission for about 55 houses. Mr Dunford said with this other site it was felt Lifton was already making a 'significant contribution' to solving the need for increased housing in West Devon.
Cllr Margaret Garton said the greatest need in Tavistock was in the two-bedroom housing area, and also the provision of affordable housing. She said people in Tavistock were aware of the necessity to 'provide for the spectrum of housing needs.'
Cllr Garton said the authority had for the first time been given the freedom to look closely at design of new housing, allowing West Devon to plan distinctive housing with local character.
'We hope that the public will support the changes to the local plan, which came about through the original comments they made. If they can't come to the exhibitions they should make sure they make their feelings known within the six-week consultation period,' said Cllr Garton.
Chairman of the borough strategic development committee Cllr Nick Morgan said the amount of housing in the south of the borough had to be increased, and much of this would be in Tavistock.
Cllr Morgan said he was pleased an area for employment use had been identified in Tavistock, becauee the town needed jobs to support the new housing.
Hatherleigh Cllr Dennis Bater said the new housing outlined for his town would take a more 'village-based approach' with the new homes in keeping with the rural nature of Hatherleigh and not just sited in one large block. Cllr Bater said Hatherleigh needed to expand.
'We have got to grow just to stand still, to keep the shops, services and schools we have going,' he said.
Cllr Bater also felt the arrival of a number of major employers in Exeter would make Hatherleigh an attractive place to live for people working in the city.
He said he welcomed the second deposit of the local plan and believed planners had done the best they could to produce a good plan within the restrictions placed upon them.
People have until Wednesday, May 22, to make any comments about changes made to the plan. The plans are on show at the Borough Council offices in Tavistock and Okehampton, and in both town libraries.