Radio listeners in the South Hams will soon have a greater choice of radio stations.

TorDAB has won the Ofcom licence for a new digital radio network set to launch later this year.

The group beat rivals Torbay DAB to win the coveted small-scale DAB licence which will serve around 200,000 people including much of the South Hams.

TorDab, led by online community station South Devon Radio and supported by Torbay Weekly owner Clear Sky Publishing, together with the company behind Devon’s commercial station Radio Exe, will now set up three digital transmitters.

Seven community stations backed TorDab’s bid.

Along with a set of new stations, TorDab also intends to launch a rolling news service called Devon20Twenty, which will provide journalism and broadcast training to people of all ages. Radio Exe will also operate a station for local events and special occasions called Pop Up Devon.

South Devon is the latest area set to have a small-scale DAB radio network. Last month, Exeter became the first area in the south west to launch such a service, with eight radio stations broadcasting on DAB+ It has space available for around 25 stations in total.

TorDab’s full application can be read on its website: www.tordab.com – where anyone interested in launching a radio station in the area can also express an interest to do so. The hope is that a wide variety of formats will become available, such as student radio, hospital radio, and stations servicing particular musical tastes or events.

Announcing its decision, Ofcom recognised that TorDab’s team includes: “experienced individuals with a longstanding commitment to local radio in the area, and included a sensible business plan.”

Chairman Jim Parker says: “It’s a very Happy New Year. We couldn’t be more pleased that this network has been entrusted to us as local people who will encourage groups interested in launching radio stations aimed specifically for South Devon. We’ll now work hard to try to launch the network in 2023.”