Have your say on Torbay’s future as Local Plan goes out to consultation

Torbay Council is asking residents, businesses and community groups to share their views on the next stage of its Local Plan, which will guide where homes, jobs, infrastructure and green spaces are developed across the Bay for years to come.

The draft plan has reached the Regulation 18 consultation stage, meaning the council is seeking feedback on the key issues and options before finalising a “Publication Version”. Officials say this early stage is the best time for people to influence the key priorities and policies.

The consultation covers a wide range of planning topics, including housing, affordable homes, climate change, the environment, economic growth, job creation, transport, public spaces and sports facilities.

Once adopted, the Local Plan will become the legal starting point for deciding future planning applications and will set the framework that neighbourhood plans must follow.

Read next: New hope for Torquay Pavilion as preservation work gathers pace

Cllr Chris Lewis, Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth, said the plan aims to balance much-needed development with the protection of Torbay’s environment.

“The consultation will allow local people to tell us what they think about our plans,” he said.

“We’ve made a real effort to focus as much development as possible on previously developed and brownfield sites. This sits alongside our ‘Hotels to Homes’ initiative, which will bring forward much-needed smaller dwellings for local people. Taken together, these approaches will direct a significant amount of development away from greenfield sites.

“Take this opportunity to read through our draft Local Plan and have your say.”

The draft is supported by a range of evidence documents, including the Housing and Economic Needs Assessment (HENA) and the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA).

These studies help identify how many homes Torbay needs, what types they should be, and which sites may be suitable for development. Both documents will continue to evolve as new data becomes available.

The council previously ran two Regulation 18 consultations in 2022 as part of the Local Plan update, receiving hundreds of comments from residents, businesses and landowners.

The consultation runs from 28 November 2025 to 26 January 2026, giving more than eight weeks for people to review the documents and share their views.

Residents can respond and read the full draft plan at the council’s consultation pages on the Torbay Council website.