Residents voices have been added to opposition to a West Devon housing plan opposed by councillors.

Both West Devon borough and Tavistock council have objected to a plan by Baker Estates for 44 homes and the provision of 0.76 hectares of commercial land on Plymouth Road in the town for two main reasons — the lack of affordable homes and ‘inadequate’ employment land in the plan. The plan was refused planning permission in 2021 by the borough council and objected to by the town council, but the decision has now been appealed by the developer.

The town council is formulating a neighbourhood development plan (NDP) which aims to find out the most important issues to residents and these now form the formal grounds of the appeal response. The NDP surveyed 12% of residents, of which 80% said affordable housing was their main concern.

Cllr Ursula Mann, who is leading the NDP and chairs the town’s planning committee, said this new opinion evidence showed how vital non-market price housing was to Tavistock, especially since the refusal of the application. The survey would inform town planning.

Views received by the NDP survey include: ‘Providing affordable housing’, ‘affordable housing prioritising local communities’, ‘developing a good offer of genuinely affordable housing’, ‘affordable housing for rent’, ‘housing need for truly affordable rented housing, limits on second homes’, ‘affordable housing for young people’, ‘discourage second homes’ and ‘consideration of only housing with renewable energy affordable housing’.

The town council fears the plan will hasten Tavistock becoming a dormitory town, serving places like Plymouth, where people find most jobs because of lack of industrial land in their home town.

The ambition of the town and borough council under the borough’s separate local plan is for designated employment land to be provided as part of housing schemes, so Tavistock becomes a sustainable and resilient settlement and community, says the response.

Cllr Mann said: ‘This issue was also addressed by the NDP with 70% of residents saying employment was their top concern, often placed in the context of improved sustainability with ‘green’ commutes and infrastructure for walking and cycling reflected in survey responses.’

The housing plan has also been criticised for failing to make a financial contribution to schools and colleges and or health services, with about half of respondents mentioning education and skills training as a key priority to underpin and maintain Tavistock’s expansion with employment prospects and give families a long-term future.

The town response to the inspector also says: ‘It is difficult to understand how an application with no provision for infrastructure could be successful.’

Cllr Mann concludes: ‘This plan is strongly opposed by the town council and it is hoped this new information highlights the application’s failure to deliver the proven local housing need for affordable homes, employment land and infrastructure desired by the community.’

A second plan by Baker Estates was approved in principle last year by the borough council, also for 44 homes, but with an ‘extra care’ home with 60 flats — said to be affordable by Baker. Baker Estates was not available for comment as the Times went to press.