BISHOPSTEIGNTON residents are fighting back against the inclusion of the proposed Forder Lane housing site in the Teignbridge Local Plan. 

A parish council meeting was held in the village’s Community Centre on Monday evening to give residents the opportunity to air their views. 

More than 100 people attended and all of them expressed their opposition to the plan. 

A spokesperson for Teignbridge District Council responded:

‘To meet Teignbridge’s housing needs for the next 15 years, the Local Plan identifies sites for 4,560 homes.

‘One of the guiding principles in developing the Plan has been identifying smaller sites in larger villages to support local facilities, address rural affordability issues and improve opportunities for people to live near to their families or rural places of work. 

‘The Local Plan identifies two sites in Bishopsteignton. The Forder Lane site will enable Bakers Yard to be redeveloped by providing essential safe walking and cycling links to the rest of the village which cannot be realistically achieved by the Baker’s Yard site itself.

‘Bishopsteignton has a range of local services including a shop, primary health care facility, pharmacy, post office, recreation ground, and regular bus services. The size of the allocation proposed is proportionate to the level of local service provision, the accessibility of the village, and its size. 

‘When developed, people on the proposed sites will help to support the school, shop and businesses which largely rely on local customers.’

The consultation runs until 13 March 2023 and villagers are encouraged to send us their views using the feedback form at: www.teignbridge.gov.uk/lpconsultation.