COUNCILLOR McInnes' letter (June 10) makes a plea 'that this (the core strategy) is not an easy issue for anyone'.

If he finds it too difficult to accept that the residents of West Devon Borough do not like the core strategy he has been promoting, making this appeal for sympathy inspires no confidence. 

In attempting to justify his position, he refers back to the vote that was passed by the whole council on December 15 as though that should settle the matter. But that vote was not to confirm approval of the core strategy; it was to confirm the wishes of the council that changes be made to it. The subsequent vote on April 19 was to decide whether or not to approve those changes.

Furthermore, councillors have been led to believe from the outset that unless a core strategy is in place, when the end date of the present Local Plan is reached in 2011, developers will be free to do what they want. But Government Office South West confirms that this is not true, as Local Plans do not simply die; the restrictive powers they contain continue until something else is put in their place. Though it is true to say that as time goes by their strength in this respect potentially diminishes, as changes may be enacted altering the legislative environment.

Cllr McInnes claims that opposing the core strategy will deny the borough appropriate infrastructure provision, emphasising his point with an exclamation mark (as though that clinches the argument). 

This again is not true, as developers will still be required to contribute to infrastructure, through the relevant statute, whether there is a core strategy in place or not.  It is undoubtedly a good thing to strive to create a plan to achieve a cohesive policy.  It does not mean, though, that the present strategy is the right one, especially as the people who live in the borough are resoundingly rejecting it.

And it is no good attacking councillors in the rather petulent way he does ('making themselves popular for five minutes') — they are honest people reflecting the wishes of their constituents, and doing their best to serve them.

Jeremy Davies

Tavistock

YOUR last week's headline suggesting that calls are mounting 'to scrap core strategy' is both misleading and unhelpful. The article includes a number of quotes from local councilors but only Cllr Ted Sherrell appears to actually want the strategy scrapped.

Of course we need a core strategy and after five years in the making we really need to move the debate forward. There is understandable concern at the proposed developments in our two market towns with criticisms over the proposed development sites.

But we have to face the reality, supported by every relevant survey, which is that we will continue to need more housing in this area and across the UK to meet the needs of future generations.

The abolition of the Regional Spatial Strategy does not affect this harsh reality. Our ageing population is one of the major factors for this increasing demand – and not the immigration of 'outsiders' as some people like to think.

Unless we are to build a new town in our countryside it is inevitable that a major element of new housing and facilities will have to be developed in our existing towns, hence the 70% of new housing being proposed for Okehampton and Tavistock.

The calls to increase the level of new housing already proposed for our villages does not stand-up to any real scrutiny and the suggestion of distributing the new housing within the existing towns' boundaries is again unrealistic. There is extensive documentary evidence available that addresses such options.

It has not been an easy decision to adopt plans which involve even more of our countryside being put under the development sword but we all have to face up to our responsibilities. Ensuring that an acceptable level of housing is available in 20 years' time cannot be ignored.

Robin Musgrave

West Devon Borough Council ward member for the Bere Peninsula

I HAVE read Cllr McInnes letter in the Times and it makes me wonder what sort of borough council and individual councillors have been elected to represent us.

I have not met one person who says we should have a core strategy, the electorate are saying they do not want the core strategy which is being imposed upon us.

The core strategy approved by the borough council is, among other things, unsustainable; the consultation was fundamentally flawed; the core strategy document was unsound and the proposals were not based on firm and credible evidence.

In August the self-same Cllr McInnes, in connection with consultations on unitary status for Devon, stated 'The Public is therefor being invited to comment on crucial proposals for change which are neither costed nor properly defined. For many people this obvious lack of precision is a fundamental flaw in the current process of consultation.' - the exact same argument holds for the core strategy proposed.

Listen to your electorate and to your own words please, Councillor McInnes.

Alex Mettler

Courtenay Road

Tavistock