AFTER five years of consultation and public meetings, hundreds of hours of discussion, drafting and redrafting of policies, establishing boundaries and drawing maps, the Neighbourhood Plan group, on behalf of North Tawton Council, is ready to unveil its Draft Neighbourhood Plan for the town.

This will be the first time local people will see the full plan which, if adopted, will guide future development in the town.

The plan, which remains a draft until it is formally agreed, is now ready to be submitted to West Devon Borough Council, but before that happens, North Tawton Town Council is asking people to read the plan to make sure it’s on the right lines, and that they support its proposals.

The council has launched a seven-week consultation process which began at 12 noon on Monday, December 4 and runs until 5pm on Monday, January, 15, 2018.

Copies of the plan are available online at: northtawtontowncouncil.co.uk and at key venues in the town – the medical and dental surgeries, the cafes and public houses and the hairdressing salons, as well as at Okehampton Library.

A comment form is available with the plan and should be returned to the Council Offices by January 15.

There will also be a public drop-in consultation event in the Town Hall on Saturday, January, 6 from 10am to 12 noon.

Jean Trewhitt, vice-chair of North Tawton Council and chair of the Neighbourhood Plan group said: “This is an important milestone for North Tawton.

"We believe that the draft plan really reflects what people have told us is important in protecting our heritage as we move forward with possible new development over the next 20 years.

“Under Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Plan process we must now ask people if they think the plan is going along the right lines and that our policies for the future are sound.

"We will take account of what is said to us before submitting the plan.

“The next stage in the process will be managed by West Devon Borough Council and will culminate in a public vote on the plan – our very own referendum!"

Alan Quick