Consultations

Coming Soon - Have your say on Torbay's emerging Local Plan

We will be inviting residents, businesses and stakeholders to have their say on the next stage of the emerging Local Plan. The Regulation 19 consultation will open in August (date tbc) and asks whether the plan is ready to move forward to independent examination.

The Local Plan is an important document that will guide development across Torbay up to 2045. Once adopted, it will become the legal starting point for determining planning applications and will help shape how Torbay grows while supporting sustainable communities, economic prosperity and environmental protection.

The consultation follows the Regulation 18 stage, which took place between November 2025 and January 2026. During that consultation, residents, businesses and stakeholders were asked for their views on the draft Local Plan. Feedback received during that stage, alongside updated evidence and technical assessments completed during 2026, has helped shape the Regulation 19 Publication Version Local Plan to be published for consultation.

This Regulation 19 consultation is different from the previous stage. At this point, the council will be seeking views on whether the plan:

• Is the right plan for Torbay

• Is based on the right evidence

• Is in line with national planning policy and legislation

• Is ready to be examined by a Planning Inspector appointed by the Government

The council will review comments received on these matters before preparing the final draft of the Torbay Local Plan. This will be reported to full Council in December 2026 to seek approval to submit it to the Secretary of State in December 2026. Following submission, the plan will be independently examined before its anticipated adoption in 2027/28.

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Background information, the evidence base and previous stages of the Local Plan Update can be viewed on our Planning Policy webpages on the Torbay Council website.

You can still access the online Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan and Interactive Policies Map in the historic documents section below.