Newton Abbot could be set to become a major regional centre for development after a recommendation by Devon County Council. The expansion could include even more new homes and employment sites than suggested in the Local Development Framework, the process which gave rise to the infamous Kingsteignton 'urban village' plan. Roads, transport links and other elements of the town's infrastructure would also need to be upgraded to cope with the extra 10,000 or more people the new development could attract. Newton Abbot is already preparing to accommodate up to 2,500 new homes in the next 10 years – its share of at least 5,300 districtwide – but that number could potentially double. Planners currently class Newton Abbot as a Policy B Market Town but have suggested it should joins the ranks of Policy A Strategically Significant Cities and Towns (SSCTs) such as Exeter and Plymouth. The change was recommend at County Hall on August 1 and the government will now consider the idea as part of its Regional Spatial Strategy for the south west. 'It could mean an extraordinary amount of growth,' said Cllr Brian Berman, Teignbridge Council's spokesman for housing. 'The Teignbridge view to resist this type of expansion has prevailed and then the county goes and makes this extraordinary statement.' The county's plan wasn't widely known about until Cllr Berman mentioned it at a Teignbridge meeting on Monday. After he had reluctantly agreed to an increase in the number of new homes in the district – from 480 a year to 530 in order to guarantee affordable homes – he warned of more to come following the Policy A move.

'We could end up with twice that if we're not careful,' he said. But Newton Abbot mayor, Cllr Daphne Watts, welcomed the proposal and said the town should make the most of it. 'It could well add to our funding and investment,' she said. 'We should be looking to use brownfield sites for the employment opportunities and looking to create enhanced, quality jobs without long travel to work distances. 'If we can also provide our young people with houses at a reasonable it means they can continue to work in the area. 'This is not something to be afraid of, it is an opportunity the town should seize and take the lead in. The town council is expected to make a formal comment next month.