IN a reference to the West Devon Borough Council Local Plan review. Cllr Peter Donkin (Letters, May 30) states that: ' . . . it is quite extraordinary that the borough has decided to retain its policy of severely restricting infill development in selected parts of the town, namely the Down Road/Chollacott Lane areas.'

In relation to Chollacott Lane, the policy Cllr Donkin refers to, namely that of restricting infill development in the lane, is not 'quite extraordinary' at all.

A rejected planning application for the erection of a single dwelling in Chollacott Lane was taken, by the applicant, to appeal. A planning inspector from the, then, Department for the Environment (now under the Planning Inspectorate) carried out a detailed appraisal of Chollacott Lane.

In his report, the planning inspector drew attention to the two sharp bends in the lane, both of which afford minimal forward visibility for traffic. In fact, he noted that he had been forced to carry out a reversing manoeuvre in his car, on one of the bends, in order to allow an oncoming vehicle to pass.

In his report, the planning inspector also drew attention to the narrowness of the carriageway in the lane and the poor visibility at the junction with the busy Whitchurch Road. The inspector rejected the planning application appeal.

With respect to Cllr Donkin, it may be presumed that he was not aware of the above appraisal by an independent panning inspector and the latter's rejection, on traffic density and safety grounds, of infill development in Chollacott Lane.

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