Torbay Council extends Local Plan consultation amid housing pressures

Torbay Council has extended the consultation period on its draft Local Plan, giving residents and landowners more time to comment on proposals that will guide development in the Bay over the next 20 years.

Following a programme of drop-in events, webinars and meetings, the council has confirmed the consultation will now close at 11.59pm on Monday 2 February.

The Local Plan sets out planning policies and proposed development sites across Torbay, covering areas including housing and affordable homes, climate change and environmental protection, economic growth and jobs, local heritage, transport and infrastructure, community safety, and public spaces and sports facilities.

Housing is a central focus of the plan. The Government has set Torbay a binding target of 950 new homes a year and requires all councils to submit their Local Plans for examination by a government-appointed inspector by December 2026.

Torbay Council says it has taken a “no stone left unturned” approach to identifying land for homes and other development. However, environmental constraints and a lack of suitable land mean the council says it cannot meet the Government’s target in full.

Under the draft Local Plan, the council is proposing to deliver 400 homes a year, equating to 8,000 homes over a 20-year period, alongside at least 80,000 square metres of employment land.

Housing delivery would be focused primarily on brownfield sites within Torbay’s three towns, alongside town centre regeneration schemes and accommodation repurposing projects, often referred to as “Hotels to Homes”.

By extending the consultation, the council hopes more residents will share their views on the proposed development sites. It is also inviting landowners to put forward sites for consideration.

Once the consultation closes, all responses will be reviewed to help shape the final preferred version of the plan, which will be subject to further consultation in summer 2026. The council has warned that there will be less opportunity to influence the plan at later stages.

Cllr Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council, said:
“With so much going on in the Council at the moment in terms of urban regeneration and heritage restoration projects, we don’t want people to miss the chance to take part in this important consultation.

"The Local Plan is a crucial document that will help shape Torbay over the next two decades.

"It covers many aspects of land use, including jobs, tourism, town centres, community facilities, flood risk and climate change, environmental protection, and infrastructure.

"But critically, the Local Plan sets out how far the Council is able to meet the Government’s housing targets and our proposed plans for housing development. I strongly encourage local people to take part in the consultation so that we can hear their thoughts and shape our local plan together.”

The draft Local Plan and consultation details are available on the Torbay Council website.