MORE than 100 people attended a consultation about the plan for 750 houses on land south of Barnfield, Crediton, on Saturday, March 22.

The consultation event was organised by Crediton Town Council and Sustainable Crediton’s Climate Action Team which are seeking the views of local residents on the forthcoming proposals.

The land is identified for new housing development in Mid Devon District Council’s (MDDC) Local Plan but both organisations would like to present a Vision document for the area.

Crediton Town Councillor Liz Brookes-Hocking recently explained that MDDC has begun the process of creating the next Local Plan which will cover the period to 2048.

She said that through the Housing and Land Availability Assessment (HELAA), the district council decides which of the sites that have been put forward are suitable for development and then includes them in their plan. The plan has several stages of consultation before it is adopted.

Usually, town and parish councils and residents are not involved before the HELAA process is completed.

Liz said that this means that important decisions about which land is going to be used for what purpose are made before the consultation stage begins.

She said Crediton Town Council believes that residents should have their say at the earliest stage possible.

The proposed area is the last tract of undeveloped land inside the town boundary. Lots of ideas were put forward about how it should be used, these ideas being amalgamated into the Vision for the land.

Views were collated on housing, economic and educational opportunities, agriculture, sustainable transport and more: What kind of housing is needed in Crediton and how should it be designed? What kind of environment? How can the Vision contribute to the town’s economy and opportunities for young people? Open space, roads and footpaths.

Much of the land at Barnfield is owned by Devon County Council and the Symes Trust, some also owned by local farmers.

For further details, please email Liz: [email protected] .