Torbay Local Plan 2022-40: A Landscape to Thrive. Regulation 18 Site Options Consultation.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

The Local Plan Update consultation has now concluded. We will provide updates on the next steps in the near future.


What This Consultation is about

Torbay needs thousands more homes over the next 20 years and we are asking local residents to help us decide where they should go.

The consultation is about housing in the Local Plan Update. Specifically, it is a consultation on the level of growth, and options for sites which can potentially be developed on. We published a previous growth option consultation in January 2022. We have considered this feedback. This further consultation provides more detailed proposals about where the housing growth should go, and we are asking for your input on this. The updated plan period runs between 2022 and 2040 (for 18 years). (The detailed responses and Cabinet report for the previous consultation are available on this Torbay Council webpage).

The consultation runs from 7th October 2022 to Monday 5th December 2022 at Noon.

Some key messages

We do want to have a genuine debate about the housing sites put forward in this consultation. Please let us know if there are other suitable alternatives. However, please take into account the following:

  • The Local Plan is already struggling to meet housing need. Providing less land will make the housing crisis, and affordability for local people, worse.
  • The Local Plan already sets out a strategy to make the most of brownfield regeneration sites that are available for development, so we are going to need to look at other, non brownfield sites to be able to deliver more housing. It is important to emphasise that we are not proposing compulsory purchase of greenfield land. This would take significant resources away from urban regeneration efforts. Therefore, we need to ensure that appropriate development sites are available.
  • We are committed to protecting the local environment as much as possible but we know that we have to balance this need with addressing the housing shortage. There do not appear to be any easy housing options left. All remaining sites will have some environmental impact. The Local Plan seeks to avoid major development in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), even though we know that sites in this area are being actively promoted by some landowners.
  • There is an expectation that all development sites will be properly landscaped. The effects on wildlife etc. must be mitigated and development should achieve a biodiversity net gain.
  • This is a genuine consultation. Whilst we know we need to provide as many homes as possible, if you strongly believe we have a site wrong and that it should not be included please do let us know. It would however be appreciated if you can put forward an alternative that you feel has more opportunity.
  • Also, if you think we have missed any sites that have potential for development, please do let us know.
  • There are no easy answers but we believe that what we are proposing is the best available option under the circumstances with the land that could be developed on.

Some More Detail on this consultation

The Local Plan is about much more than housing. This consultation also sets out an overarching strategic policy and suggests targets for employment land (which need to be subject to further assessment). It then suggests more detailed policies for neighbourhood plan areas. But the focus of this consultation is on growth levels, proposed development sites and housing policies. We will carry out further consultation on non-housing policies early in 2023. The last section of this consultation suggests a layout for the whole Local Plan. It also suggests policy titles.

This consultation proposes housing numbers and draft policies relating to housing. The Local Plan's priority is the regeneration of brownfield sites. Particularly where these are in or around town centres. We are seeking views about whether designating Investment Zones would help deliver regeneration of these areas. The consultation does propose some greenfield sites for development. A key aim of the Plan is to protect the most important environment around Torbay. It resists major development in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and close to the most environmentally sensitive sites.

This consultation is at Regulation 18 of the Local Planning Regulations. This means it is at the ‘issues and options stage’ where decisions are not set in stone. It is a genuine consultation on options. A “preferred option” will be published in 2023.

That said, the government does set clear rules for what Local Plans must do. This includes the National Planning Policy Framework, which sets out a “Presumption in favour of sustainable development”. More detailed government advice is provided in the online Planning Practice Guidance. The NPPF has a quasi-legal status in assessing the “soundness” of local plans.


How to respond to this consultation

Please let us know your thoughts on the Local Plan Update, by Noon on Monday 5th December 2022. The proposed housing sites are indicated on the map below, and the Draft Housing Policies are set out in the document on the right hand side.

You can have your say by:

  • Completing the survey. You can answer just the Quick Question, or you can complete the full survey which covers the key aspects of the Local Plan Update. The survey questions also include summaries of the policies in case you do not have time to read the Draft Policies document.
  • Dropping pins on the map to give your feedback on proposed housing sites.
  • While our preference is for responses via the survey and map, if you need to submit written responses these can be sent by email to future.planning@torbay.gov.uk or by post to Strategy and Project Management, Spatial Planning, Tor Hill House, 2nd Floor North, Castle Circus, Torquay, TQ1 3DR. However, please could you respond via the online questionnaire wherever possible.


Further Information - Draft Housing Strategy

Please note there is also a separate consultation ongoing about the draft Housing Strategy. If you wish to comment on the Council's strategy for how we will work with partners to improve the delivery, affordability and quality of housing in Torbay, please can you also respond to the draft Housing Strategy consultation here.


What This Consultation is about

Torbay needs thousands more homes over the next 20 years and we are asking local residents to help us decide where they should go.

The consultation is about housing in the Local Plan Update. Specifically, it is a consultation on the level of growth, and options for sites which can potentially be developed on. We published a previous growth option consultation in January 2022. We have considered this feedback. This further consultation provides more detailed proposals about where the housing growth should go, and we are asking for your input on this. The updated plan period runs between 2022 and 2040 (for 18 years). (The detailed responses and Cabinet report for the previous consultation are available on this Torbay Council webpage).

The consultation runs from 7th October 2022 to Monday 5th December 2022 at Noon.

Some key messages

We do want to have a genuine debate about the housing sites put forward in this consultation. Please let us know if there are other suitable alternatives. However, please take into account the following:

  • The Local Plan is already struggling to meet housing need. Providing less land will make the housing crisis, and affordability for local people, worse.
  • The Local Plan already sets out a strategy to make the most of brownfield regeneration sites that are available for development, so we are going to need to look at other, non brownfield sites to be able to deliver more housing. It is important to emphasise that we are not proposing compulsory purchase of greenfield land. This would take significant resources away from urban regeneration efforts. Therefore, we need to ensure that appropriate development sites are available.
  • We are committed to protecting the local environment as much as possible but we know that we have to balance this need with addressing the housing shortage. There do not appear to be any easy housing options left. All remaining sites will have some environmental impact. The Local Plan seeks to avoid major development in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), even though we know that sites in this area are being actively promoted by some landowners.
  • There is an expectation that all development sites will be properly landscaped. The effects on wildlife etc. must be mitigated and development should achieve a biodiversity net gain.
  • This is a genuine consultation. Whilst we know we need to provide as many homes as possible, if you strongly believe we have a site wrong and that it should not be included please do let us know. It would however be appreciated if you can put forward an alternative that you feel has more opportunity.
  • Also, if you think we have missed any sites that have potential for development, please do let us know.
  • There are no easy answers but we believe that what we are proposing is the best available option under the circumstances with the land that could be developed on.

Some More Detail on this consultation

The Local Plan is about much more than housing. This consultation also sets out an overarching strategic policy and suggests targets for employment land (which need to be subject to further assessment). It then suggests more detailed policies for neighbourhood plan areas. But the focus of this consultation is on growth levels, proposed development sites and housing policies. We will carry out further consultation on non-housing policies early in 2023. The last section of this consultation suggests a layout for the whole Local Plan. It also suggests policy titles.

This consultation proposes housing numbers and draft policies relating to housing. The Local Plan's priority is the regeneration of brownfield sites. Particularly where these are in or around town centres. We are seeking views about whether designating Investment Zones would help deliver regeneration of these areas. The consultation does propose some greenfield sites for development. A key aim of the Plan is to protect the most important environment around Torbay. It resists major development in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and close to the most environmentally sensitive sites.

This consultation is at Regulation 18 of the Local Planning Regulations. This means it is at the ‘issues and options stage’ where decisions are not set in stone. It is a genuine consultation on options. A “preferred option” will be published in 2023.

That said, the government does set clear rules for what Local Plans must do. This includes the National Planning Policy Framework, which sets out a “Presumption in favour of sustainable development”. More detailed government advice is provided in the online Planning Practice Guidance. The NPPF has a quasi-legal status in assessing the “soundness” of local plans.


How to respond to this consultation

Please let us know your thoughts on the Local Plan Update, by Noon on Monday 5th December 2022. The proposed housing sites are indicated on the map below, and the Draft Housing Policies are set out in the document on the right hand side.

You can have your say by:

  • Completing the survey. You can answer just the Quick Question, or you can complete the full survey which covers the key aspects of the Local Plan Update. The survey questions also include summaries of the policies in case you do not have time to read the Draft Policies document.
  • Dropping pins on the map to give your feedback on proposed housing sites.
  • While our preference is for responses via the survey and map, if you need to submit written responses these can be sent by email to future.planning@torbay.gov.uk or by post to Strategy and Project Management, Spatial Planning, Tor Hill House, 2nd Floor North, Castle Circus, Torquay, TQ1 3DR. However, please could you respond via the online questionnaire wherever possible.


Further Information - Draft Housing Strategy

Please note there is also a separate consultation ongoing about the draft Housing Strategy. If you wish to comment on the Council's strategy for how we will work with partners to improve the delivery, affordability and quality of housing in Torbay, please can you also respond to the draft Housing Strategy consultation here.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

Proposed Allocations

5 months

This map shows proposed allocations for both housing and employment. Proposed housing sites which already have their principle established (through allocation, planning permission, as part of a masterplan etc) are shown as grey, those that are newly proposed housing sites are shown in brown and proposed employment sites are shown in light purple. A dark purple line denotes a Future Growth Area (FGA) and a blue line denotes the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Please use the '+' icon on the bar to the left of the map to select a pin (suitable/may be suitable/not suitable) and place these on any sites which you wish to 'have your say' about. Pins can also be placed in other locations (not currently identified) if you so wish.

CLOSED: This map consultation has concluded.