Budleigh Salterton Town Council have been responding to Budleigh's Local Plan held by East Devon District Council.

Residents of the town say the issues they are most concerned about is sewage on the beach and the number of empty shops and the decline of the high street.

During a Local Plan consultation, and number of brownfield and greenfield sites are offered up to the council for new housing developments. Named BUDL01 etc.

The consultation was discussed at the last Budleigh Salterton Town Council meeting held at the Public Hall on Monday, October 28 2024.

District Cllr M Martin reported on feedback from the Local Plan Consultation:

• The trend was to use brownfield sites rather than greenfield spaces.

• Budleigh Salterton town centre should be preserved with concern about the number of empty shops/decline in the High Street.

• Commercial applications should be decided in a speedier manner.

• There should be more trees and natural drainage as well as concerns about parking and accessibility.

• Across the board, Green Wedges were the most popular item to be commented on and this showed the importance residents held on these areas.

283 comments had been received on Budleigh Salterton’s Green Wedges, with an absolute objection to development on them.

• The sewerage infrastructure was a worry as well as over-subscription to St Peter’s School and the loss of agricultural land.

• Some sites were going to be revisited because, even with the new town, the total number of sites across the district was 2000 houses short.

• In Budleigh Salterton, sites BUDL_01 and BUDL_03 would be discussed again. She hoped that BUDL_01 did not go through; officer recommendation was that those areas would not be touched.

BUDL_03 had raised lots of questions and she is concerned about that. A decision was made that Clr Martin would speak on behalf of the town at the Strategic Planning Committee meeting.

Cllr C A Sismore-Hunt said she was concerned that a pressurised sewage pipe ran under the fields at sites BUDL_01 and BUDL_03.

Cllr M P Lewis added that the sites were largely being determined by whoever offered the land, rather than using land which was more suitable to build on.

It was suggested that Cllr Martin mentioned Evans Field which was not finished and not joined up with the rest of the town.

The option of using BUDL_03 would add to that disjointed feeling.