ELIZABETH BENNETT, of South Pool, writes:

I have two main objections to the Joint Local Plan:

1. The proposal to make Stokenham/Chillington as a “local centre”, with 95 new houses, is ill-thought out and does not take into account the limitations of the A379.

This road is already at full capacity, particularly in the summer when tourists, tourist coaches, the regular bus services, farm vehicles, large delivery vehicles, as well as caravans/ motorhomes accessing the caravan site at Stokeley and other smaller sites, frequently cause huge tailbacks at the many pinch points along this road.

I wonder how many of the officers who have made this suggestion have actually travelled this route in the school holiday periods when it is not unusual for the journey from Carehouse Cross, Stokenham to Kingsbridge, to take one hour.

It should also be noted that this route does not only service villages along its route, but it is the only route into Kingsbridge for such villages as South Pool, Prawle, East Portlemouth, Chivelstone, Beeson, Beesands, etc. These villages are not just inhabited by residents and visiting tourists, but also house hundreds of small businesses which need good roads in order to access clients and customers.

There is no possibility of improving the pinch points on the A379 and a deliberate worsening of the log-jam on the A379 cannot be justified.

2. The growth figures which supposedly demonstrated a need to build hundreds of houses in the South Hams were never properly researched by the original consultants.

In addition, the type of housing which is being proposed throughout the area is not consistent with the requirements of local people.

The original consultants did not interview any young people from the South Hams, only a few from hostel accommodation in Plymouth and Redruth.

There are many, many young people who leave schools in the South Hams and go to colleges of further and higher education in Plymouth, Torbay, Exeter and Bristol and would wish to return to this area to work.

In particular those who have qualified in the arts, such as potters, jewellers, artists, etc – craftespeople who could succeed and be of benefit in this tourist area, but their needs have not been considered at all in this Joint Local Plan.

Where are the home/work studios etc, that our young people need, and where are all the one and two-bedroomed flats that our first-time buyers can afford?

The only people who can afford the three or four-bedroomed houses which developers are trying to foist upon us, are second home owners and incoming retirees.

I trust commonsense will prevail.