Cllr Ken Tuckett, of Sandygate, Kingsteignton, writes:

Last week, members of Kingsteignton Town Council met with representatives of Sibelco, AWE, DCC and TDC to discuss the development of Kingsteignton.

The discussions contained nothing that has not been in the public domain for some time but it would have better served the community of Kingsteignton had they been allowed to attend and hear at first hand.

A renewed planning application for Newcross is expected next month and it is clear that the northern option development of Kingsteignton is still very much alive, although it was admitted the essential support infrastructure could not be delivered through the development.

Comments were made that money was available to provide affordable housing and County Cllr John Smith commented that DCC had money available for education and sporting facilities.

What essential road improvements are required has not yet been decided.

I expressed the view that in the present economic crisis it was essential that any public money was used for developments that provided the best possible return but two independent viability assessments had established development proposals at Kingsteignton were just not viable.

Cllr Smith commented that 20 per cent of 1,000 new dwellings would provide 200 affordable homes. maybe, but 40 per cent achievable elsewhere would deliver 400 affordable homes.

Regional development plans require the strategic town of Newton Abbot and Kingsteignton to accommodate 8,000 new dwellings at 50 plus per hectare which could be achieved with town centre blocks of flats.

Comments that Kingsteignton town should be separate from Newton Abbot were met with wry smiles.

I heard no proposals for compromise and nothing to dispel fears of simply further overdevelopment without the essential support infrastructure.

KREAG's campaign on behalf of Kingsteignton, which has found support in two public inquiries and with the Secretary of State, will continue.