A COUNCILLOR has expressed concern at the growing number of people on the housing list while Dartmouth was waiting for homes to be built. 'Developers are not philanthropists, they are in it to make money, Cllr Francis Hawke said. 'But we need homes for young people. Cllr Hawke told a meeting of the town council: 'With less than 20 per cent social housing on new development, we will end up like Salcombe and are going that way now.' Cllr Tony Fyson said that a working party had been set up to create a neighbourhood plan 'from the bottom up' for Dartmouth. District and county representative Cllr Jonathan Hawkins said it was important the town fed into the district council local plan process. Meanwhile, South Hams councillors were told last week there was nothing the council could do to force developers to submit a planning application for the 200 homes due to be built on the edge of Dartmouth. The possibility of compulsorily purchasing the 71-acre West Dart site between Townstal and Venn Lane would be something to be avoided 'at all costs,' one councillor said. And the council's executive councillor for planning, economy and community, Michael Hicks said: 'We are not a planning dictator.' Dartmouth went through two years of consultation and exhibitions to produce an £80m 'masterplan' for the major development site earmarked for 400 new homes – only to see that all collapse last year when Millwood Homes said it was walking away from the project.

For the full story see this week's Dartmouth Chronicle