On behalf of the Salcombe Neighbourhood Plan Group, I would like to thank all those who contributed to our recent consultation of the draft plan. We received well over 200 responses and about 95 per cent supported the plan as drafted.

There were also many constructive comments on how to improve the plan.

Some did object to specific policies and wording and we can assure the Salcombe community that we will do all we can to accommodate these without going against the majority of support.

One concern raised was that the proposed principal residence policy (SALC H3) would be too restrictive, anti-second home owners and would be detrimental to the local economy.

Others, who supported the policy, were concerned over the difficulty in enforcing it.

For clarification, the policy as drafted only applies to new- build homes; it is supported by South Hams District Council and it recognises the need to give priority to delivering truly affordable homes from our new housing stock.

Second home owners play an important role in the economy and social fabric of the town and we hope this will continue unchanged.

Indeed, two members of the five-man steering group that has been driving the initiative for the last three years are second home owners.

The only restriction is that prospective buyers of new-build homes, with the intention to own them as second homes, will be prevented from buying newly built housing unless they make Salcombe their principal residence.

A number of other parishes are proposing similar policies to attempt to address the imbalance in the local housing stock and we are working with SHDC to ensure the final policy is robust and enforceable.

There were fewer responses to the consultation than we had hoped from younger residents and from local employers, so we are planning to engage directly with the larger employers, younger people and those with young families.

We encourage all from these groups to contact us by email at [email protected] to set out their thoughts, ideas and concerns about the plan and the future of the town.

Once approved by referendum the neighbourhood plan will sit alongside SHDC’s Joint Local Plan.

SHDC is awaiting the results of the recent hearings into the soundness of their JLP.

We shall not put the Salcombe plan forward to the next stage of the process until the JLP is confirmed as sound.

Within the next month we shall publish all the responses with an explanation on how the plan will be amended.

This document will be available at www.salcombeplan.org and in a printed document at Salcombe Library.

Cllr Mike Fice

Chairman, Salcombe Neighbourhood Plan Group