Talk about development

Dartmoor National Park Authority is reviewing the Local Plan for Dartmoor and is working with Parish and Town Councils in the National Park throughout the process. The Local Plan is the basis for all planning decisions in the National Park. It sets out policies on many different development issues, including residential extensions, the natural environment, listed buildings, equestrian development and in some towns and villages also identifies areas for future housing or employment development.

The Authority held a consultation in winter 2016/17 asking communities what the key issues were for the new Local Plan to tackle and also asked landowners to identify land which might be available for future development. The identified sites were assessed through the Land Availability Assessment to establish where development is technically feasible. The Authority is currently considering which sites should be allocated for development.

In the National Park it is not expected that large areas of land for housing will be allocated, such as may be required nationally, however there is a need to support Dartmoor’s communities by identifying enough suitable land to meet local housing and employment needs.

Open meetings are now being held with communities to talk about the available land identified and discuss which should be brought forward to meet local housing and employment needs.

National Park staff will be attending these open meetings with the Parish and Town Councils of Dartmoor’s largest settlements.  These are the towns and villages where it is expected to allocate land for development.  The meetings will discuss the Local Plan review, the process for identifying potential sites, and the options which can be considered in each community.

Buckfastleigh, 01 November 2017, Town Hall 7.00 pm

South Brent, 13 November 2017, Old School Centre 7.30 pm

Ashburton, 14 November 2017, Town Hall 7.45 pm

Yelverton, 21 November 2017, Clearbrook Village Hall 7.30 pm

Princetown, 23 November 2017, Community Centre 7.30 pm

Chagford, 27 November 2017, Endecott House 7.30 pm

Horrabridge, 28 November 2017, Village Hall 7.30 pm

Residents of Dartmoor communities are encouraged to come along to share their views as early on in the process as possible. There will also be further formal opportunities to comment on a draft Local Plan next year.  Find out more about the Local Plan review and the sites in the LAA at www.dartmoor.gov.uk/localplan , and follow updates at www.facebook.com/dartmoorplan  and www.twitter.com/dartmoorplan .