More new homes for Devon

The Sherford Valley has been earmarked for 4,000 new homes

The government has increased the number of new homes it wants built in Devon by 1,000.

The recommendations have come from a government-appointed expert panel examining a Structure Plan which sets out the county's housing and industry needs until 2016.

Plymouth had been recommended to have its housing provision increased from 8,500 dwellings to an extra 10,000 by 2016.

This will come from the additional 1,000 homes, which were originally earmarked for Cornwall, plus an extra 500 redistributed from plans for the South Hams district.

Strategic planning

The greenfield site of Broadmoor Farm on the outskirts of the town of Saltash was the original site for the 1,000 homes now to be built in Plymouth.

A new community planned for the Sherford Valley in the South Hams will increase from 3,500 new homes to 4,000 in four villages.

But a development planned for Broadclyst, east of Exeter, remains at the proposed 3,000 new homes.

The government panel's report, which was published on Thursday, has been sent to the Devon Structure Plan Authorities for their consideration.

The structure plan sets out the strategic planning policies for Devon, including Plymouth, Torbay and Dartmoor National Park.

It will eventually provide a framework for the policies included in District Local Plans and Local Development Frameworks.

Dr Ian Harrison, chairman of the Joint Structure Plan Officer Group, said: "The review of the major issues addressed within the Devon Structure Plan for the period 2001 to 2016 has been under consideration by the Structure Plan Authorities since 2001.

The south west Devon area could have up to 14,500 new dwellings

"It has been the subject of extensive public consultation and, two years on, we are now nearing the end of this process.

"The publication of the report findings marks a significant further stage in the preparation of the framework for Devon."

Councillor Ted Mitchell, of Devon County Council and vice chairman of the Structure Plan Joint Committee, said: "The committee will consider the panel's recommendations in detail over the next two to three months before deciding if they want to make any changes.

"Any modifications to the plan will be published in the spring of 2004 for public comment over a six-week period."

Pressure group South Hams Against Rural Destruction (SHARD) said the plans were the worst possible result for the area and it will continue to oppose any plans to build there.

Some locals fear the influx of people would overwhelm local services, such as schools and roads.