STOKE Fleming could be in a for a large cash windfall if the proposed West Dart development on the outskirts of Dartmouth goes ahead, it has been revealed.

A meeting of the steering group leading the formation of a Neighbourhood Plan for Stoke Fleming was told that a share of £1.2m could be coming to the village.

Stoke Fleming Neighbour­hood Plan spokesman Struan Coupar said more than 90 per cent of the proposed West Dart development would be on Stoke Fleming’s land.

‘There would be a substantial financial benefit in the form of the Government’s New Homes Bonus of more than £1.2m, in addition to other Section 106 and affordable homes funding,’ he said.

‘Stoke Fleming has said to South Hams Council that it expects those benefits to be applied to the parish as a whole and not simply to the West Dart development.’

The Neighbourhood Plan steering group has adopted a set of general policies that will act as guidelines for the process of formulating specific plans for housing, roads and transport.

Affordable housing to meet local need is a priority along with better connectivity between the different parts of the village through the creation of new or improved roads and paths.

The vision is for gradual development over the 20-year period of the plan, matching growth to local need, said Mr Coupar.

The policies of the plan are:

* There will be a presumption in favour of development on brownfield sites.

* Any substantial new development, primarily to meet the needs of Dartmouth and other parts of South Hams, should be sited in the Cotton (West Dart) area of the parish. Any funding resulting from such development should be applied to the benefit of the parish as a whole.

* Only limited new development will be permitted elsewhere within the parish, primarily to meet local need and provide for a measure of organic growth.

* Development site selection will be based on criteria compatible with those currently used by the district council, but bearing in mind the 20-year life of the Neighbour­hood Plan will take into account suitability rather than immediate availability.

* The plan will establish an overall permitted level of residential development. Development would be on any of the selected sites but in aggregate would not be allowed to exceed the overall limit, unless the limit is adjusted as a result of the formal reviews that will be carried out every five years.

* Affordable housing to meet local need is a priority and any development on brownfield or greenfield sites will have to demonstrate that at least part of it will meet established local need.

* Small-scale development in rural areas, particularly on existing sites, may be permitted.

* All planning applications will still be subject to the normal procedures and permissions.

* Inclusion of a site in the Neighbourhood Plan does not imply that landowners must accept development on their land; it would only leave them free to do so.

* The Neighbourhood Plan vision is for gradual development over the period of the plan, matching growth to local need.

* The establishment of better connectivity between the different parts of the village through the creation of new or improved roads and path is a priority and must be allowed for in any proposed development.

Mr Coupar said the steering group had also agreed to adopt provisional policies in respect of 40 out of 55 specific issues covered in its recent Choices for Change consultation.

It will now concentrate on establishing what would be involved in bringing these to fruition, and a full list will be published next month.