Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan 2025 Online Version and Consultation

Introduction

The scope of this Plan

1.1 This is the draft Local Plan for Torbay. It is a Plan for growth, within environmental limits, and strongly promotes regeneration and modernisation of the built-up area. It seeks to minimise damage to the natural environment and to provide resilience to the effects of Climate Change whilst reducing carbon emissions.

1.2 The Plan contains a strong Presumption in Favour of Urban Regeneration and support for affordable housing. It seeks to achieve an average of 400 dwellings per year over the Plan period 2025-45. This is a minimum number and not a ceiling, should sustainable urban sites be available to exceed this figure. It is also proposed to deliver a minimum of 80,000 sq. m. (up to 28ha) of employment land. It will be important to provide sufficient affordable housing and family homes in order to reduce the risk of labour shortages. The plan also prioritises addressing Climate Change.

1.3 The Plan is not intended to be a sales-pitch document. However, it seeks to implement and provide a positive planning framework to implement other key visions and strategies in particular:

• The council's Corporate and Community Plan 2023-43
• The Torbay Story
• The Housing Strategy
• Regeneration and "Hotels to Homes" programmes.

1.4 When adopted, the Plan will form the legal starting point for determining planning applications and related proposals in Torbay. Decisions are still subject to other material considerations, especially those set out in the government's National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, currently December 2024), Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) and National Development Management Policies.

1.5 This plan will replace the Torbay Local Plan 2012-30. It covers the period 1st April 2025- 31 March 2045. But realistically, the Plan will require a review five years from adoption. This version of the Plan is the "Regulation 18" draft plan. This means that it is at an early stage of consultation where people's views can be considered. It builds on, and fleshes out, the January 2022 Growth Options consultation and the October 2022 Housing Site Options consultations.

1.6 Local Plans are prepared within the strict parameters and legal framework that the government sets. These are set out in legislation but also the National Planning Policy Framework National Planning Policy Framework - GOV.UK and accompanying planning practice guidance.

1.7 The Local Plan is required by planning law to promote sustainable development. This means applying the Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development in Paragraph 11 of the Framework. Although the "Regulation 18" stage is a chance to "have your say" the Local Plan must follow planning law and guidance.

1.8 Comments made on the draft Local Plan will be used to compile a "Regulation 19" Publication Plan, which we intend to consult on in Summer 2026. This next Plan is often called a "preferred option" because it sets out what the council consider to be a sound plan. Consultation on this is much more restricted to whether the Plan meets its legal requirements or the "Tests of Soundness" set out in paragraph 36 of the NPPF. It is intended to submit the Local Plan to the Secretary of State for Examination before the end of 2026. Further information can be set out in the council's Local Development Scheme Local Development Scheme - Torbay Council

Challenges for the Plan

1.9 Torbay faces significant challenges but also opportunities. We need to be realistic and acknowledge that Torbay has a significant need for development, but limited space or environmental capacity to grow, and limited viability to support its infrastructure and other needs.

1.10 Torbay has a significantly ageing population and needs to plan for the implications of this. It needs to encourage a younger demographic, particularly working age families, as well as provide for the needs of older people. This will be important to meet Torbay's economic regeneration goals.

1.11 Torbay's fantastic environment is its unique selling point. It is justly branded the English Riviera, with a world class tourism offer. It has glamour, high-profile businesses, a beautiful marine setting and internationally important environmental assets. This is accompanied by a rich historic and prehistoric environment. Torbay faces challenges arising from Climate Change and a need to reduce carbon emission and provide resilience to the effects of a changing climate. Development is likely to impact upon the South Hams SAC and the Lyme Bay and Tor Bay Marine SAC, and this needs to be mitigated. Torbay's best asset is its spectacular environment, and it is vital that development does not erode that. Hence the need to double down on urban regeneration and focus growth in the built-up area. Including building upwards where necessary and feasible.

1.12 Like the previous Torbay Local Plan, this is a plan for growth within environmental limits, but the above seeks to be realistic about the scale of the challenges and the scope of a Local Plan to contribute to solutions. The solutions are wider than planning and it is critical that the land use framework supports the council's wider regeneration programmes.

1.13 The Local Plan is intended to be a strategic document. It interacts with and provides a land-use planning framework for other detailed visions, masterplans, and neighbourhood plans.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

1.14 The NPPF has a legal weight in plan making. Councils are required by law to prepare a local plan and to seek to achieve sustainable development. Key to this are the Presumption in Favour of Sustainable development at paragraph 11 (a-b) of the NPPF and the Tests of Soundness (Paragraph 36). The NPPF sets out what Local Plans should include:

1.15 The NPPF is supported by online Planning Practice Guidance. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 allows the Secretary of State to publish National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) which when published will take primacy over local plans where they are in conflict.

1.16 Within these parameters, there are important local documents, visions and blueprints that the Local Plan seeks to support and ensure that land use decisions are aligned with meeting these community and corporate goals.

The Torbay Community and Corporate Plan 2023-43

1.17 The Corporate and Community Plan sets out the council's Vision, Objectives and Priorities, and to provides the strategically grounded foundation for everything the council does. This includes informing strategic, operational strategies, plans and policies including the Local Plan.

1.18 Land use planning policies are integral to Pride in Place and play a substantial role in community and people and achieving economic growth. Therefore, it is worth quoting from the Corporate and Community Plan at length on these objectives.

Community and People

1.19 On the face of it, the community and people objectives contain matters that go beyond land use planning. However, "Putting all of our residents at the heart of everything we do" means that the Plan will need to try to reach out to all sections of the community.

1.20 Providing all residents with a safe home in a thriving community means building homes as well as improving the stock of existing accommodation. The Community and Corporate Plan specifically identifies children and older people, and the need to ensure that town centres are safe and welcoming for all. Measures set out within the Community and People Theme include reducing the difference in age expectancy between the most deprived wards and the least deprived, and reducing the number of children living in the 20% most deprived areas. Supporting regeneration, ensuring access to active travel opportunities, open space, fresh food, education facilities are all key matters for the Local Plan.

Pride in Place

1.21 The Pride in Place objective is entirely development plan related. It refers to the provision of affordable housing, place-making and protection of our environment. It entails regeneration, improved connectivity, and renewal of town centres and investment in the public realm, including waterfronts, residential areas, places of work and town centres. Increased town centre living is proposed.

1.22 The objective undertakes to protect Torbay's cultural heritage and address the Climate Emergency and reduce waste. It states that:

1.23 "There will be more good quality, affordable and permanent properties that people, including those who are vulnerable or care experienced, can call their home. We will work with landlords and developers to maximise the use of suitable housing stock, including social housing, and create decent accommodation across Torbay. We want this to be an even better place for people to live in whilst protecting our environment.

1.24 In delivering our Housing Strategy, we will work to deliver a diverse choice of housing for our residents that meets every stage of life and lifestyle – homes that are safe, warm, fit for purpose and more environmentally friendly. Where appropriate, we will consider proactive intervention in the housing market. We will continue to protect homeless households and those threatened with homelessness, whilst putting an end to street sleeping.

1.25 We will work to get the basics right, so that our town centres, seafronts and residential areas are clean, safe and well-maintained. Alongside this we will also deliver an ambitious programme of investment across Torbay – improving the public realm, reshaping the town centres, increasing town centre living, improving connectivity – to bring confidence, employment and homes for our community.

1.26 We will celebrate and protect the places that make Torbay special, maximising the cultural, heritage and event opportunities for our residents and visitors alike. Working in partnership we will continue to address the climate emergency so as to create a sustainable future. Continuing to implement our Resource and Waste Management Strategy will see us working with our communities increase our recycling rate and reduce the amount of waste sent for energy recovery and disposal.

1.27 The outcomes we want to see:

• Enhanced high streets that attract long-term tenants and an increased number of visitors.

• An enhanced and coherent culture, heritage and events offer with increased engagement and participation.

• Increased customer satisfaction with our parks, green spaces and streets

• More equitable access to warm, healthy, affordable homes for all people in Torbay

• Younger, skilled people are attracted and retained to live and/or work in Torbay

• Increased customer satisfaction with the council's planning service

• Increased resident satisfaction with the local area

• How we will measure progress:

• Delivery of town centre regeneration programmes

• Net additional homes provided

• Number of affordable homes delivered

• Number of social rented housing available

• Cultural participation

• Percentage of people who are economically active in Torbay

• Number of Resident Satisfaction Survey respondents who very or fairly strongly feel satisfied with their local area as a place to live (raw data)".

Economic Growth

1.28 The Community and Corporate Plan seeks to improve employment and learning opportunities, to attract investment, and improve economic performance. The need to boost affordable housing, transport links and local training opportunities are important elements in supporting economic growth. It states that:

1.29 "We will attract, retain and grow our economic specialisms so we have growth which builds on our reputation. There will be good employment and learning opportunities that enhance the potential for our residents and our communities. Residents will be able to access those opportunities because of the improved connectivity to, from and within Torbay.

1.30 Torbay is looking to the future and reaching out to collaborate, attract more investment and make the most of the considerable assets and opportunities it has. We will make the most of government and private sector investment, with the voice of business being heard as we move forward with our plans.

1.31 We want to create the conditions for a strong and sustainable economy that supports a diverse mix of industries and jobs that inspire, providing equality of opportunity. We will support businesses to flourish and grow as well as attracting new businesses to the Bay. In addition, we will work with our stakeholders to ensure that roles in key sectors such as tourism and health and social care are viewed as positive opportunities.

1.32 In delivering our Economic Growth Strategy, we will work with our partners, including those across the South West, to improve economic conditions and, in doing so, help businesses to improve performance – creating new opportunities for residents, tackling poverty and improving health outcomes. We know that, to retain and attract the workforce that Torbay needs, we must have sufficient affordable housing and a sufficient supply of employment to accommodate growth and inward investment".

Our Priorities

1.33 We will:

• Encourage aspiration, providing opportunities for everyone to raise their skill level, particularly in high value careers.

• Drive training opportunities across all sectors to empower people to improve their skills.

• Improve transport links to and within Torbay.

• Develop a year-round economy.

• Increase the amount of full-time employment opportunities within Torbay.

• Focus on inclusive growth, with opportunities which benefit everyone.

1.34 The outcomes we want to see:

• Established pathways for young people, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and unemployed to employment opportunities with skills levels moving toward national averages.

• People have better transport and digital connections to jobs and amenities.

• Vacancy rates falling year on year with business reporting they can find talent.

• Improved productivity in Torbay which closes the gap compared to the national data.

• The number of businesses and jobs in Torbay increases.

• Better balance of full-time to part-time opportunities.

• Targeted approach to inward investment which attracts new high- tech companies.

The Torbay Story

1.35 The Torbay Story is a strategic initiative aimed at transforming Torbay's prospects whilst celebrating and enhancing its glorious natural assets and heritage. The Torbay Story is the Torbay Place Leadership Board's springboard to promote investment, regeneration, and community development across Torbay. The initiative encourages collaboration between public and private sectors to unlock Torbay's full potential.

1.36 It aims to celebrate and realise the fantastic opportunities for Torbay to be:

• The Premier Marine and Natural Experience

• A hub for adventurers and tech innovation

• A place to invest, live, and thrive

1.37 The Torbay Story promotes "tech by the bay" seeking to improve Torbay's amazing knowledge based businesses scattered across the amazing environment. Whilst there is limited (but important) manufacturing; the Bay has a massive knowledge-based economy based on ideas, innovation thinking and ingenuity, with many globally significant companies in photonics (the science of light), environmental science, marine engineering, green technology, medical technology etc. The Torbay Story aims to grow relationships with regional universities and to encourage start-up business and benefit for the clusters of similar businesses. The spectacular environmental benefits of Torbay to live and work in are key to this.

1.38 The Torbay Vision wants the area to be a Hub for Active Adventurers enabling people to better curate their health and especially mental health by providing a connection with nature, with endless recreation activities in Torbay's globally important countryside and marine environments.

1.39 The "Big idea" for Torbay is for an overall Torbay as The Premier Marine and Natural Experience. This idea is intended to help the public, private and voluntary sectors think differently to better utilise Torbay's assets, radiate influence, cultivate and encourage strong leadership and developing new relationships to bring business and place together,

1.40 Within this "strategic signature" a vision for each town is set out, to develop their own distinct identities and roles to create a unified and complementary offer.

1.41 Brixham is a centre for creative arts and industries, Food and Fishing Fusion. Paignton is Family Fun on the Foreshore offering traditional values to the best standard it can be with beautiful sandy beaches, nearby zoo, steam railway and oldest surviving cinema in Europe. Paignton is also home to clusters of "tech by the sea" high tech businesses. It is therefore also a centre for Enterprise, Electronics and Entrepreneurship. Torquay is the heart of the English Riviera and a premier holiday experience with the marina, waterfront, Agatha Christie Heritage, Global Geopark, food and drink, leading on Leisure and Lifestyle by the Sea.

Town Regeneration Projects

1.42 A range of transformative projects and opportunities aimed at revitalising key areas are proposed as part of the Torbay Story and the council's wider regeneration programmes. Key to this is a range of ambitious urban regeneration projects, all of which are embraced and proposed for development in the Local Plan. These include:

• Stand Torquay

• Union Square Torquay

• Crossways Centre Paignton

• Victoria Centre, Paignton

• Wider regeneration to create jobs, invest in key economic sectors such as "tech by the sea" knowledge-based industries and MedTech

• Working with the Plan for Neighbourhoods to help realise a 10-year strategy to help those in most need in Torquay.

Other Visions and Strategies

1.43 The above documents set out a high-level vision for Torbay. The Local Plan lays out a land-use basis to realise those visions. Both the Local Plan and its supporting documents are informed by other Plans and Strategies. Where relevant, these will be referred to in the Policy Explanations and explained in more detail in background topic papers.

1.44 Some of the key documents are:

• Economic Growth Strategy - Torbay Council

• English Riviera Destination Management Plan - Torbay Council

• Housing Strategy 2023 to 2030 - Torbay Council

• Greener Way for Our Bay Framework and Action Plan – Torbay Council

• Torbay Council Climate Change Action Plan - Torbay Council

• Environment and Net Zero Carbon Policy - Torbay Council

Local Plan Key Objectives

1.45 The Previous Torbay Local Plan 2012-30 sets out several key aspirations. These are still largely consistent with the objectives in the NPPF, Community and Corporate Plan and The Torbay Story. The proposed aspirations are set out below but have been amended to confirm that they are the Plan's strategic priorities. They also take into account:

• A higher priority to urban regeneration and the provision of affordable housing, and more established programmes for delivering these.

• Responding to Climate Change being given a higher priority.

• A focus on matters that land use planning is able to control (e.g. land use allocation) rather than things beyond the control of planning.

1.46 This Plan has five strategic priorities for the Bay:

1.47 These aspirations are interconnected, but at their heart is the need to focus development on urban renewal in order to protect the wider environment.

Strategic Priority 1: Secure Inclusive Economic Growth for All

1.48 To achieve economic growth and deliver new jobs and housing, in order to promote equality, reduce disadvantage and poverty and increase Torbay's competitiveness. This will be achieved by meeting the following objectives:

• To strongly support town centre and other urban regeneration to provide more home, including affordable housing, jobs and commercial development. The Plan sets out a Presumption in Favour of Urban Regeneration.

• To drive forward regeneration schemes and provide sufficient land and co-ordinated infrastructure to achieve sustainable growth.

• To boost the supply of affordable housing.

• To provide sufficient, varied full-time employment and increase earning potential.

• To support existing employment sectors whilst providing land, training opportunities and a positive climate to encourage new employment, particularly in the knowledge based, high tech and medical technology sectors.

• To ensure the English Riviera achieves its potential as a premier tourist resort by continued investment in existing facilities, waterfront areas and marine environment, and the provision of new attractions.

• To cater for changing holiday demands and expectations to attract new visitors, investment in high quality facilities and accommodation, whilst releasing outdated accommodation and facilities for housing.

• To encourage a younger demographic in Torbay, including retaining college leavers by providing better job and training opportunities and better access to housing.

• To provide a range of goods, services, events and facilities that make Torbay a leading destination of choice for people with money to spend, particularly new and improved provision in the town centres.

• To strengthen Torquay town centre as the Heart of the English Riviera and a retail commercial, social and cultural focal point. Paignton and Brixham town centres to develop their role, on a proportionate basis, focused on meeting the needs of their own residents and tourists.

Strategic Priority 2: Respond to Climate Change and Protect our Communities

1.49 To ensure the use of energy and natural resources, the sensitivity of the natural environment and public health needs are taken into consideration when planning new development. This will be achieved through meeting the following objectives:

• To promote the installation of low carbon and renewable technologies, particularly making better use of existing and new roof spaces for solar energy.

• To improve the energy efficiency of new developments, and existing buildings, to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and the impact of rising utility bills on poverty.

• To roll out a network of electric charging for vehicles and other infrastructure needed to transition to a low-carbon economy.

• To become resilient and adaptable to climate change.

• To minimise flood risk to new and existing development by incorporating sustainable drainage and other measures to address run-off, sea level rise, increased storminess and unpredictable weather.

• To recognise the multiple benefits provided by open spaces, biodiversity, green infrastructure such as green corridors/wedges, rural landscapes, beaches and the Bay itself, having regard to their statutory significance and value to the community over the lifetime of development.

• To minimise the generation of household, business and construction waste and reduce its negative impacts upon the environment by focusing on the prevention, re-use and recycling of waste as set out in the waste hierarchy and prevent pollution.

• To support the growth of environmental technology and related businesses in Torbay.

• To resist the installation of fossil fuel dependent infrastructure or facilities.

Strategic Priority 3: Connect Communities through Improved Accessible Transport and Technology

1.50 To ensure that Torbay has excellent accessibility and connectivity within the Bay and elsewhere. This will be achieved by meeting the following objectives:

• To increase accessibility throughout the Bay and beyond with fast, frequent, reliable and sustainable travel, giving people real choice as to how they make their journeys.

• To encourage active travel to promote health and environmental sustainability.

• To deliver an integrated transport system, providing a choice of transport and supporting walking, cycling and public transport.

• To improve road, rail links, cycling and walking routes, to reduce congestion and environmental impact.

• To promote water-based transport in the Bay, for both work and leisure.

• To ensure the safe and convenient movement of people and goods.

• To minimise the length of journeys for employment, shopping and other activities by the careful siting of development and through the detailed planning of the mix of uses in growth locations.

• To require the creation of permeability for active travel in all major development and to mandate interconnectivity between adjoining developments.

• To provide next generation broadband connections.

Strategic Priority 4: Protect Torbay's Natural, Cultural and Built Heritage

1.51 To conserve and enhance the richness and diversity of the built, historic, marine and natural environments, which provide Torbay with its unique setting and important economic benefits. This will be achieved by meeting the following objectives:

• To safeguard existing and maximise opportunities for biodiversity enhancement in and around developments to deliver a net gain for biodiversity.

• To provide a network of recreation and Green Infrastructure including Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) to relieve recreational and other pressure on the South Hams Special Area of Conservation and other critical environmental assets.

• To ensure new development makes a positive contribution to local character and identity, including the wider landscape character river corridors, open spaces, country parks and natural areas and setting of proposals.

• The safeguard the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land to assist with food security in a changing environment.

• To safeguard heritage assets including those at risk in a manner proportionate to their significance, having regard to their ability to deliver economic regeneration, express local identity, reveal social histories and narratives and increase the connection of communities with place.

• To avoid mediocre design by the application of clear design standards, including the use of Torbay's Design Review Panel to maintain quality development that is well integrated in its surroundings and responds successfully to local character.

• To require conversions and extensions positively to enhance the existing building, especially in Conservation Areas, removing unsympathetic extensions and rectifying poor quality alterations where necessary.

• To encourage the re-use of empty homes and businesses, including bringing back historic buildings into beneficial use.

• To make the most of the English Riviera's status as the world's first internationally recognised Urban Geopark in recognition of its geological, historical and cultural heritage and sustainable tourism value.

Strategic Priority 5: Build Better Communities with the Homes, Spaces and Opportunities that People Deserve

1.52 To meet the needs of Torbay's residents, including disadvantaged, care-experienced, and minority groups, and to provide everyone with a full range of opportunities in life. This will be achieved through meeting the following objectives:

• To build enough houses to give all Torbay residents a chance of a decent home.

• To end the cycle of deprivation linked to substandard accommodation and resist inappropriate conversions and poor design where this may exacerbate disadvantage and deprivation.

• To provide a range of supporting living opportunities to assist existing Torbay residents live independently in their own home for as long as possible.

• To resist development that will create additional costs to the healthcare and social services, unless the impact of these is fully funded.

• To provide a full range of facilities and shops within town centres necessary to meet day to day needs, particularly the provision of fresh food.

• To resist inappropriate development that would harm the vitality and viability of town centres.

• To diversify the leisure and cultural offer in the town centres, particularly the night time economy in Torquay.

• To create a more enjoyable, creative built and natural environment using heritage assets, public art and revitalisation of the public spaces to attract events, exhibitions and festivals that celebrate and enhance the culture of Torbay.

• To allow tall buildings in appropriate locations where this secures wider regeneration benefits.

• To provide a suitable and sustainable range of physical and community infrastructure to promote economic prosperity and social cohesion and contribute towards higher aspirations and achievement, particularly amongst the young.

• To support the expansion and improvement of existing educational establishments, especially South Devon College, and plan positively for new education and lifelong learning, and links to employment especially in the knowledge based economy.

• To help tackle hotspots of child poverty, multiple deprivation, high levels of crime and unemployment wherever they arise.

• To support new and enhanced recreational, play and leisure facilities, to promote health and social wellbeing for all, including young people.

• To create sufficient burial and ceremonial spaces, as part of the green infrastructure offer to provide dignified resting, ceremonial and remembrance facilities.

Housing Numbers

1.53 The Plan seeks to provide at least 400 homes a year. This is around the long-term average achieved since 1980 and will require a significant uptick in urban regeneration and increased urban living. There is a particular need to boost the supply of affordable housing.

1.54 Careful assessment of spatial options for growth has shown town centres, Torquay Gateway and West Paignton as the most sustainable locations. These will require updated masterplans.

Environmental Capacity

1.55 Crucially, the Plan recognises the unique quality of the Bay's natural environment. This attracts people, investment, businesses and visitors. It is vital this Plan protects and enhances that quality, to bring more investment, more visitors and more people into the Bay. Torbay enjoys a significant historic built environment, and there is a need to conserve and enhance the most important heritage assets, and also improve the quality and perception of parts of the built up area, to assist urban renewal.

Sustainability Appraisal Comment

1.56 The Local Plan is supported by a Sustainability Appraisal (SA). This assesses the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the Local Plan, and includes legal requirements from UK and European regulations. The SA helps make sure that the Local Plan:

• Promotes sustainable development.
• Avoids harmful impacts on people and the environment.
• Considers different policy options and chooses the most balanced and beneficial ones.
• Includes ways to prevent or mitigate negative effects.

Land and Labour Supply

1.57 The Local Plan, working alongside Torbay's Economic Growth Strategy supports a step change in the economic fortunes of the Bay. The Plan seeks to provide a minimum of 80,000 sq. m of employment land over the Plan period. The Local Plan seeks to set out a positive land use framework to support businesses, and particularly urban regeneration.

1.58 A key economic threat is a shortage of working-age people due to Torbay's ageing demographic. It will therefore be important to boost the supply of affordable housing and family homes to support economic recovery. It will also be critical to support the needs of young people, especially care-experienced, to enter the local jobs market, for example through local training agreements. There is a need to provide specialist accommodation for older people, but this must be focused on meeting the needs of existing residents and supporting people to downsize.

Infrastructure

1.59 The Local Plan recognises the need to invest in infrastructure across the Bay – whether in green infrastructure or additional road capacity. Much is already being planned to improve infrastructure: a new rail halt at Edginswell; an enhanced ferry service across the Bay; increased capacity on the Western Corridor, and flood protection scheme at Paignton.

1.60 At present, infrastructure 'pinch points', such as shared sewers in the town centres, the need for better resilience to climate change, and the need to improve the management of the South Hams Special Area of Conservation are potential constraints. The Plan sets out flood resilience, water management and Green Infrastructure proposals to address these issues.

1.61 The level of growth planned for in the Torbay Local Plan 2012-30 is unlikely to be exceeded until well into the 2030s, and therefore it is not thought that there are likely to be other infrastructure "show stoppers" in terms of water or power availability. However, this will be kept under review as the Plan progresses.

1.62 The level of environmental constraint and access difficulties get more significant in the south of Torbay, particularly south of Windy Corner. The Plan therefore seeks to focus more strategic development in Torquay and Paignton, with more localised development proposed in the Brixham Peninsula focussed at meeting the more localised needs and its fishing and food specialisms.

Monitoring

1.63 The Local Plan will be monitored annually against the delivery of new homes, affordable housing and urban regeneration. The council will set these out in its Authorities Monitoring Report Adopted Local Plan (2012–2030) Evidence Base and Monitoring - Torbay Council.

Duty to Cooperate Comment

1.64 The government is proposing a system of strategic planning in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. At present councils are still under a Duty to Cooperate with neighbour authorities and other key consultees/ prescribed bodies. The Localism Act 2011 requires councils to co-operate with their neighbours "constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis" when preparing local plans. The extent of co-operation is a key test of soundness of the Plan.

1.65 Although Torbay is a largely self-contained housing market area (HMA) and Functional Economic market Area (FEMA), its population growth is entirely driven by inwards migration. This is largely from people moving from elsewhere in the UK. Whilst the closest neighbours are Teignbridge and South Hams, the council considers that unmet housing need, (as calculated by the Standard Method and demographic projections) is a sub-regional matter that needs to be resolved in cooperation with wider Devon Authorities.

Navigating the Local Plan

1.66 The Local Plan is set out in theme-based chapters. The NPPF requires Plans to indicate where a policy is strategic. Each subject is prefixed with an overarching strategic policy (HS, ES etc.) however other policies in the Plan are strategic and these are indicated. The NPPF indicates that strategic policies are those that are necessary to address the strategic priorities for the area (including cross-boundary matters) but should not extend to more detailed matters.

• Chapter 1: Our shared vision - A healthy, happy and prosperous Torbay (this chapter)

• Chapter 2: Shaping our places - Local identity and community-led planning

• Chapter 3: Homes for all - Meeting Torbay's housing needs

• Chapter 4: Building a prosperous and inclusive Torbay - Unlocking opportunity for all

• Chapter 5: Thriving communities - Wellbeing, safety and belonging

• Chapter 6: Moving Torbay: Sustainable travel and inclusive access

• Chapter 7: Building for the future: Resilient and smart infrastructure

• Chapter 8: Our changing climate: Protecting our Bay for future generations

• Chapter 9: Our natural places: Protecting and enhancing Torbay's environment

• Chapter 10: Our shared history: Protecting and enhancing Torbay's heritage and identity

• Chapter 11: Designed with quality: Taking pride in Torbay's place-making

• Chapter 12: Responsible resource use: Minerals and waste

• Chapter 13: Making it happen: Monitoring and partnership working