Draft Local Development Plan due for Publication

Residents of Teignbridge District Council, outside the National Park, involved with or may wish to comment when the public consultation process formally commences, can follow the progress of the Draft Core Strategy - Local Development Framework at:

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15122

This document is vital to the District as it allows communities to help determine where they would like development of houses, jobs and services for the next 20 years. Not participating could well result in unwanted development, and no 'gain' for a community.

The article also lists out the 'next steps' the process will follow.

Enjoy - it really is the opportunity to shape the future and make a difference for the next 20 years.

Neighbourhood and Community Plans in Teignbridge

For those interested in knowing where on the TDC web site to find details of the recent Neighbourhood and Community Plan consultations (excluding Dartmoor), I have the link below. These community plans are essential to meet the needs of your community over the next 20 years.

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=13651

Life without and after Blackberry

To all my regular readers and those random Bloggers who stumble across this page - sorry for not contributing to the Blog for a few weeks. A little like my Blackberry, I have been a little busy lately. Who said being a Councillor was easy work, with training sessions, briefings, meetings and going to Core Strategy public meetings and attending Dartmoor National Park events and duties.

The level of Core Strategy engagement with Teignbridge residents, businesses and other partners has been astonishing - but more about this in future weeks.

And while on the subject of meetings - I have thought that rather like collectors of rosettes and medals and the such, those of us who attend meetings with name badges and plastic pens, might like to start displaying them as 'status symbols' of the different meetings we have attended, and even swapping plastic pens.

At the October TDC Planning Committee Members approved details of some 417 houses, including 157 affordable. Giving planning permission for housing is not the same as delivering completed houses, and it was an honour last week, during Rural Housing Week, to be at two celebrations of completed affordable housing schemes for residents with local connections.

The first was the official opening at Tedburn St Mary, and a scheme which saw Teignbridge District Council, the Parish Council, Teign Housing and Hastoe Housing working in partnership.

The second, was at the Community Council of Devon and Devon Association of Local Councils AGMs and conference. As part of the Devon Rural Housing Awards, launched in 2008 to recognise and acknowledge the achievements of any individual or group of people who have inspired their community working towards affordable housing for local people. An award I was fortunate to be given in 2009.

This year St Giles in the Wood Parish Council and Roy Turner of Woolsery Parish Council won awards for completing affordable houses through commitment to and commitment from their local communities. Further details of Devon Rural Housing Partnership can be found on the Community Council of Devon website  at

http://www.devonrcc.org.uk/c/14/affordable-housing

It can be done. .

...Life without Blackberry has been quiet, the lull before the storm, and then that little 'ping' that tells you that perhaps life was better without Blackberry. But before all Android users smirk and say 'told you so' just remember there are 11 parallel universes out there!