FROM your front page report (July 13), it is clear the head of planning at West Devon Borough Council is unaware of the current Local Plan which has a policy (TT2) for provision of '. . . a long-term residents' parking area adjacent to Abbey Garage for residents of Dolvin Road whose on-street parking will be displaced by the relief road scheme'.

Why is he quoting from a future Local Plan which has not yet been published or fully approved by the democratic process? It is irrelevant to the current situation.

We take great exception to the sentence in the recently published Draft Planning Brief for the site which states: '. . . it is considered that design and visual appearance considerations outweigh the desirability of providing parking for nearby residents'.

Does this mean the council is only interested in a picture postcard view of Tavistock rather than honouring its commitment to residents?

The current Local Plan identifies the area of land immediately adjacent to the cemetery in Dolvin Road and is completely hidden from view by stone walls. It is not the area visible from Bedford Square as the borough council seems to imply.

Why has the planning authority changed its mind on the acceptability of residents' parking when, prior to construction of the relief road, the site was considered acceptable in design and visual terms? Why is the site in the Local Plan otherwise?

Perhaps the borough council could explain why they consider that cars hidden behind two-metre high walls are more visually intrusive then the four-storey housing scheme they consider acceptable. The paragraphs relating to residents' parking in the Draft Planning Brief have the appearances of lame excuses.

It is of great concern to residents that West Devon Borough Council as owner of the site, currently marketing it for sale, is the same organisation that is rewriting the planning conditions that will be applicable to it. We are trusting our councillors on the planning committee to see that the Draft Planning Brief is properly scrutinised.

G S Barclay

17 Dolvin Road

Tavistock