homeowners who fear the stunning Tavy Valley will be 'devastated' by proposals to build a link road across it are urging Tavisock residents to join a new campaign group.

People living in the Brook and Crowndale areas say they are seriously concerned Tavistock's residents do not realise how dramatically proposals contained in West Devon Borough Council's Local Development Framework Core Strategy document will affect the appearance of the South West edge of the town.

The document is the new method the council uses to set its planning guidelines and policies up to 2026 — it is a Government-introduced system which replaces the previous system of producing Local Plans to cover ten-year-periods.

But Jeremy Davies, who lives at Brook, has slammed the document and says it will be 'a disaster for the area'.

The Local Development Framework would see the western side of Tavistock developed, to include 750 new houses, a new school, hospital, re-instatement of the rail link to Bere Alston and a link road between the A390 Callington and the A386 Plymouth roads.

Mr Davies said: 'My principle worry is that the road will be devastating to the Tavy Valley, which has been classified as an area of great landscape value, and it's bang next door to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

'It will cut through the World Heritage site of the Tavistock Canal and Drake's birthplace to one side, East Crowndale Farm in the middle and Brook on the other, at the same time dissecting the old route between the monasteries of Tavistock and Buckland, and the national cycle, horse riding and walking route of Brook Lane.'

Mr Davies said the core strategy document declared its intent to protect the countryside — yet policies within it, once adopted, would spoil rather than protect the countryside.

He said: 'They have produced a document with many fine-sounding sentiments but they do not bear close inspection.

'The council has abandoned its better principles, knowing it has to protect the environment but finding it inconvenient to do so, using high-sounding phrases to hide its intentions, cancelling protective designations, moving boundaries and proposing the desecration of an unspoiled and beautiful valley.'

He urged anyone concerned about the effect on the Tavy Valley to contact him, in a bid to set up a group to oppose the document's adoption.

'We are having a "sustainable transport corridor" proposed, when what is meant is a new by-pass to accommodate all forms of transport, including heavy lorries, that would join two A-roads through the area of new housing, with a school, cottage hospital, recreation areas and retirement homes.

'The policy has not been thought through properly.'

Another Brook resident, Chris Miller, said: 'I am seriously concerned over the environmental impact of any road and development in the Tavy Valley. It's a flood plain, next to an AONB and World Heritage Site.

'They have policies to protect the environment, yet they are literally driving a coach and horses through an area they have designated as protected.'

And Miranda Toop of Crowndale Farm said: 'I think this will affect the people of Tavistock tremendously. I don't really think people are truly aware of what is being proposed — the development of these beautiful, historic green fields.'

Borough chief executive David Incoll told residents at last week's annual town meeting that the core strategy document was a 'more holistic' way of looking at planning.

Health, education and highways authorities had to be consulted on their needs for the future and the document had to be evidence-based.

Under the old Local Plan system, following public consultation and consideration by a planning inspector, the council made the final decision on its plan.

Regarding the new core strategy document, the planning inspector would make the final decision, based on the council's evidence-backed submission.

Mr Incoll said: 'We are at the stage where significant amounts of evidence has been established and the authority has agreed to put the document out for public consultation on May 28.'

West Devon's Core Strategy document can be seen at http://www.westdevon.gov.uk">www.westdevon.gov.uk — click on strategic planning and follow the links. Comments are invited online or by post from May 28 until July 10.

Anyone who wishes to be part of the Tavy Valley Protection Group can contact Jeremy Davies at [email protected]">[email protected]

l See story — page 13.