West Hill development plans to be decided locally

An East Devon village can now have more of a say over future housing and other development in its back yard. 

West Hill Parish Council had applied for its whole patch to be designated a ‘neighbourhood area’ for planning purposes.  

It will now be able to produce its own plan setting out how the community would like to see it develop, after East Devon District Council’s cabinet gave it the go-ahead last week. 

West Hill was previously part of a joint neighbourhood with Ottery St Mary. 

The West Hill and Ottery St Mary parishes will now be split into two such areas, with Ottery St Mary also able to create its own separate neighbourhood plan if it wishes. 

EDDC carried out a public consultation for six weeks and received no objections from the public or Ottery St Mary Town Council. 

The existing joint Ottery St Mary and West Hill neighbourhood plan, created in 2018, will stay in place across both parishes until it is replaced. 

New neighbourhood plans would see wide consultation with the community and be voted on by people in the relevant areas.