AGENTS MULDER AND SCULLY WRITE:

I wonder if your readers are aware of the imminent return of the cult 1990’s paranormal investigative series ‘The X-Files’.

As an exclusive to your newspaper I can reveal that this return was instigated by a troubling pattern of disappearances on the South east edge of Dartmoor.

The townsfolk of Bovey Tracy, a small but rapidly expanding town, are being asked to provide their feedback in a consultation exercise relating to proposed development on land at Challabrook Farm (BT3).

This development forms part of the Teignbridge 20 year Masterplan development strategy. That strategy calls for Bovey Tracey to allocate land for at least 470 new homes by 2033.

Naturally development on this scale, increasing the population by more than 20%, will require significant development of infrastructure and amenities. This is sorely needed, even before the population is increased, compare and contrast the amenities present in towns such as Okehampton, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Axminster and Ashburton which all have smaller populations than Bovey Tracey.

The Masterplan provides the following enticing enhancements for our town.

· A new 1.8 hectares Primary school site

· A multi-use community building and public open space at land on Le Molay-Littry Way

· Town centre enhancements including improvement to public realm, improved traffic management, creation of a town square, and a new Information Centre and public toilets

· Enhanced play space, including a new skate park in both Bovey Tracey and Heathfield

· 3 hectares additional sports pitch space

· A network of safe cycling and walking routes

The masterplan showed the Challabrook site as having a school at its centre. Imagine our surprise to see that in the consultation document this had disappeared; let us be grateful that this happened before any children were in attendance. In its place there is instead a large area designated to food retail (a supermarket). The council’s masterplan states that people will not walk more than 400 – 800m so siting a supermarket on the edge of town will clearly not assist in any attempts at town centre regeneration.

Better news is that despite our need to allocate land for at least 470 new homes by 2033 we are hugely ahead of target. Less than 15% of the 20 year plan has elapsed but thankfully 48% of the required houses have not only been allocated land they are actually in the process of being built (Bradley Bends/BT2, Soby Mews & the former Coombe Cross Hotel site). This is great news and I hope someone is picking up a large bonus for their endeavours.

I will let your readers judge if a similar level of progress has been made in delivering the required amenities for all these new residents.

If the council is serious about having a consultation on Challabrook/BT3 then please put us in full possession of the facts. How can we comment on the appropriateness of up to 270 new homes that significantly enlarge the town footprint if we do not know how they relate to the proposed amenities required to service their residents?

When can we expect the announcement that in return for their supermarket at Challabrook/BT3 the developer will offer to build a school on the community land on Le Mollay-Littry Way?

I urge your readers to stay safe and be wary of any further disappearances; they may also want to address the democratic deficit by venturing their views on the proposed plans to their local councillors and www.rulefiveland.co.uk/index.php/challabrook-online-form <

Keep watching the skies.