Planning Overview

Any planned development within our area is, of course, of key concern to the Society. Thus we monitor very closely both the overall planning frameworks and individual applications for building development.

We understand the need for development to maintain the vitality of the area, but are concerned to ensure that it is carried out in a sympathetic way which respects the special local historic and scenic features.

Local Area Planning

Much of the overall planning framework is set by the Joint Local Plan (JLP) a ground-breaking strategic planning process for Plymouth and South West Devon which looks ahead to 2034. It sets a shared direction of travel for the long-term future of the area, within the context of wider integrated strategic plans. In this respect it integrates with and completes work that was previously being undertaken separately on the ‘Plymouth Plan’ (Plymouth City Council and its strategic partners), ‘West Devon: Our Plan’ (West Devon Borough Council) and ‘South Hams: Our Plan’ (South Hams District Council). The key purpose of the JLP is to establish an over-arching strategic framework for sustainable growth and the management of change, providing the statutory development plan for Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon.

The JLP plans were approved in 2019 and replace the Local Plan documents, which were last fully approved in 1996.
Other organisations which have an impact on the overall planning framework for the area include the South Devon AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) Unit and the Dart Harbour and Navigation Authority. The Society keeps in contact with these and other bodies.

Specific Planning Applications

Details of Planning applications submitted to South Hams District Council may be accessed on-line via this link. The Committee of the Society monitors all applications in our area and comments or objects where appropriate. However we do recognise the current realities of the planning process, whereby the great majority of applications are approved by SHDC. It is worth noting that the wording of an application is the choice of the applicant, not SHDC Planning Department, and may or may not reflect accurately and fully the work being proposed.

The Society also monitors Planning Appeals in our area and makes submissions where appropriate.

In the past, the Society prepared monthly lists of newly registered planning applications for the parishes in our area of interest together with lists of recent decisions and the current status of applications not yet decided. Those lists were uploaded to three separate sub-pages of this page, accessible via the side menu.

However the planning authority has now renengineered its planning database in a way which makes our continuing to produce those lists impractically laborious. The sub pages that contained those monthly lists have therefore been removed.