NICK Engert, representing the appellants, said that while a statutory development plan exists, the crucially-important component of the local plan was so out of date as to be a serious impediment to national decision-making. He said the consequences were a severe to almost complete shortage of allocated land for development across the district. Mr Engert pointed out that since 1999 house prices had increased in Teignmouth by 129 per cent, with the district having the 20th highest house price to income ratio in Britain. And he slammed the district authority's affordable housing record in Teignmouth, in which it had built only four units between 2001-2005. 'Houses are needed now and much weight should be given to the housing officer's strong support for the appeal scheme which provides 31 houses of affordable rented accommodation. 'That would help in what has been described in the housing officer's consultation as being "a very high" need "especially for households with young children",'he said. Town planning consultant, Robin Tetlow said the proposed development on the 1.62 hectares site would comprise 63 dwellings – 31 affordable housing of 20 social rented and 11 shared equity units to be managed by the Devon and Cornwall Housing Association. He maintained that the council wanted to go for two brownfield sites at West Lawn and Brunswick Street, but neither were available, while there were land ownership problems with the other greenfield site available at New Road. Mt Tetlow said he thought the council's trajectory for future affordable housing and total housing units to be built was 'on the path to disaster'. He said it was 'wholly unrealistic' to expect supply to increase in 2010. 'Some of the sites need a considerable amount of time, with detailed applications and completion. You cannot just turn a tap on and off. It is not the way the housing market operates. Developers cannot be cajoled. 'Delivery of houses for people to live in is what really matters,' he said. Mr Tetlow said because of the time-scale with applications, it was in no way premature and if the appeal is granted the council would still be falling well short of its target figures.
