12,400 Houses!

Plans for 12,400 new houses to be built in Teignbridge were pushed through on Friday (21st) on the casting vote of the council's chairman. This was a bit of a supprise because the chairman Cllr Clarance at earlier meetings on 22nd May had voiced support for a lower number, and is recorded as voting for the figure of 10,000. The proposals fortunatly took out the plan for a massive housing estate between Teignmouth and Bishopsteignton. Opposition Liberal Democrats continued to support a lower number of 10,000 houses to be built over the next 20 years. It was supported by most of the council's Independent members but narrowly failed. In a tied vote, 18-18, it was council chairman Chris Clarance who used his casting vote to rule against the 10,000 houses, which allowed the Conservatives who run Teignbridge to then vote in their plans for 12,400 homes -- that's 620 a year for the next 20 years. The proposal for 10,000 houses was supported by one Conservative, Cllr Kelvyn Shantry, who had led a special review group of councillors looking at how many houses the district needed.