YOU will soon have your chance to tell Teignbridge councillors your views about their plans for windfarm sites, housing sites, gypsy and traveller sites and climate change.

Teignbridge councillors at next Tuesday’s meeting of the Executive, on November 2, will be asked to approve an eight-week consultation with residents on the Local Plan options.

It is due to start at the end of November and will seek residents’ views on possible renewable energy sites as well as site options for small new housing development and for a new gypsy and travellers’ site.

This latest effort to involve local people in the Local Plan preparation follows the consultation held earlier this year on site options for residential, employment and school developments.

This followed last year’s consultation on core policies which will shape all future development under the proposed new local plan which, if approved, would run until 2040.

Given the large number of people responding to the previous two virtual consultations, councillors are being asked to stick to the same approach with documents and a feedback questionnaire being available on-line.

These will also be available in town and parish council offices, libraries and at the council’s headquarters at Forde House.

The feedback on all three consultations will inform a final version of the draft plan, combining sites and policies, which residents will have another chance to comment on and influence next year.

Tackling climate change

The consultation proposes measures to tackle climate change, setting out two draft policies and 27 wind turbine site options.

A Teignbridge spokesman said: ‘Together they would make a significant contribution to mitigating climate change by generating much more renewable (low carbon) electricity over the medium to long term.

The consultation options are informed by a Low Carbon Report produced for the council by Exeter University’s Centre for Energy and the Environment.

Executive member for Planning Cllr Gary Taylor said: ‘It is important that Teignbridge plays its part in generating the low carbon electricity we need. Maximising wind and solar power is critical for the anticipated increase in electric vehicle charging and home heating in the coming years.

‘It is acknowledged that such climate change prevention measures could have a wide impact on our landscape and wildlife, our heritage sites and residential amenity – which is why it is essential we get public and stakeholder feedback on these proposals ahead of any decisions being made.’

Small residential sites

The second element of the consultation is designed to meet the Government’s requirement for 10 per cent of the district’s housing target (about 75 new homes per year) to be on residential sites up to one hectare. The consultation identifies 24 possible sites across the district where new homes could be built and is seeking feedback from residents on the best options.

As a result of responses to the ‘call for sites’, some areas that were not considered for development in the consultation earlier this year are included this time.

Gypsy and traveller sites

The Local Plan requires the council to identify land which can accommodate sufficient pitches for gypsies and travellers. The existing Local Plan identified in 2014 a total of 70 pitches for gypsies and travellers for the period to 2033.

Of these, 48 have been or are scheduled to be provided and following an intensive search only one possible site has been identified at Mead Farm near Caton.

really appreciate the comments from the thousands of people who responded to the sites option consultation earlier this year and we want as many people as possible to comment on these latest options.

Cllr Taylor said: ‘We really appreciate the comments from the thousands of people who responded to the sites option consultation earlier this year and we want as many people as possible to comment on these latest options.

“Once we have heard from local residents, the proposed options will be narrowed down – with a further consultation held next year on the final draft of the Local Plan.

‘This document will form the ‘Proposed Submission’ - and will contain the polices and site options selected to go forward for inspection, following feedback on all of the public consultations conducted over the extended Local Plan Review period.’