Dartmoor National Park's belief in strict controls on future development on the moor has, on the whole, found favour with the government's independent inspector.

Douglas Machin was appointed by the planning inspectorate to conduct a public inquiry into the DNP's Local Plan, the document which will set out planning and development criteria for the park until 2011.

Mr Machin's report has now been received by the DNP, and in an accompanying letter to his report he states: 'In general, I find that the Local Plan is very sound and provides the appropriate context for the conservation and limited development of the national park in accordance with the purposes of designation.

'The most contentious issue for me to consider has been, not surprisingly, that of housing provision.

'In summary, I endorse fully and support the approach taken by the Local Plan of severely limiting the amount of new house building that ought to take place, with the emphasis firmly on the providing of affordable housing to meet identified local needs.'

The inquiry was conducted between November and January, during which time the inspector heard representations from a number of parties and a total of 827 objections to the Local Plan.

One such objection came in December when developers Cavanna Homes (South West) used the inquiry to challenge the authority's decision not to nominate land at Wallaford Road, Buckfastleigh, as an allocated housing site, asking, 'Where should housing go if it's to go anywhere in the national park?'

For the DNP, David Lillington said at the time: 'We feel that development has been sufficient.'

Mr Machin has also rejected calls for the former Thompson's Haulage yard in Moretonhampstead to be allocated for mixed housing and employment use and on the subject of objectors comments: 'The belief of a good number of the objectors that the national park is a place where a more liberal approach should be adopted is fundamentally wrong.

'Dartmoor is a most precious national asset and must be protected from all but the most essential development.'

The DNP will now consider the report and its recommendations in detail and, subject to modifications, the Local Plan is likely to be adopted in the summer.