Robust’ plan on Teignbridge housing delayed

The local plan is the front line of defence

A document seen as the front line of defence against ‘speculative’ developers targeting new housing sites in Teignbridge has been delayed.

Teignbridge District Council’s cabinet has voted to delay the submission of the new draft Local Plan until February. It sets out where thousands of new homes can be built across the district, and should have been submitted this summer.

However, more than 1,000 responses have been received to a public consultation, and that has caused the timetable to be changed.

Members heard the local plan needs to be robust, but were warned the delay cannot be ‘open-ended’.

Cllr Richard Daws (SD Alliance, Ambrook) said it was vital to challenge ‘overstated’ targets for new homes imposed by the government.

He went on: “If we were truly a progressive council, we would be using every fibre in our bodies to resist development-led plans and acting strictly in the interests of the health and wellbeing of our residents.”

Almost a year ago, secretary of state for levelling up Michael Gove announced changes to the way land supply targets were applied, but they haven’t been brought in yet.

Cllr Huw Cox (Lib Dem, Ashburton and Buckfastleigh) said: “I’d rather see this being delayed, taking longer and being done right rather than being rushed through.”

And council leader Martin Wrigley (Lib Dem, Dawlish North East) added: “We can use the plan to robustly defend against speculative developers.”

He said in his own ward alone there had been ‘speculative’ proposals for 1,200 homes.

He added: “Every day the plan protects us from developers trying to build the wrong type of houses in the wrong places.”