Residents, businesses and organisations across Torbay are being invited to have their say on the next stage of the emerging Local Plan.
Torbay Council has opened a six-week consultation on the Regulation 19 version of the Local Plan, which will help determine how the Bay develops over the coming years.
The consultation opened at 4pm on Thursday 13 August and runs until 11.59pm on Thursday 24 September 2026.
The Local Plan will provide the planning framework for future development across Torbay, covering issues including new homes, jobs, infrastructure, the economy and protection of the environment. Once adopted, it will become an important consideration when planning applications are determined.
What is the consultation about?
This latest consultation is different from the previous Regulation 18 consultation, which ran between November 2025 and January 2026.
At Regulation 19 stage, the council is asking people to consider whether the proposed plan is **sound and ready to go forward to independent examination**.
In particular, the council wants views on whether the plan:
* is the right plan for Torbay;
* is supported by the appropriate evidence;
* complies with national planning policy and legislation; and
* is ready to be examined by a Government-appointed Planning Inspector.
Feedback from the earlier consultation, together with updated evidence and technical assessments carried out during 2026, has been used to prepare the current Publication Version of the plan.
A plan that could shape Torbay for years to come
The Local Plan is intended to guide where development takes place across Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, while balancing the need for new housing and economic growth with Torbay’s environmental constraints and distinctive character.
Housing is likely to be one of the major issues for residents, with the council previously highlighting significant challenges around affordability and the supply of homes.
Torbay Council’s housing strategy says the area faces a substantial gap between housing need and delivery, while the area’s landscape and environmental constraints make finding suitable sites particularly challenging.
The emerging Local Plan therefore has potentially significant implications for where new development takes place, as well as the infrastructure and facilities needed to support growing communities.
What happens next?
Once the Regulation 19 consultation closes, the council will consider the representations received before preparing the final version of the plan.
The final draft is expected to go before full Council in December 2026, when councillors will be asked to approve its submission to the Secretary of State.
If submitted, the plan will then face an independent examination by a Planning Inspector, before an anticipated adoption in 2027/28.
The council says the Government has also given permission for it to proceed with this next stage following a letter from the Housing Minister in June.
Councillor Chris Lewis, Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth, said the Local Plan would help determine how Torbay delivers the homes, jobs and infrastructure it needs while protecting the environment and the character of the Bay.
He urged residents to take part, saying that their views would help ensure the plan is robust before it is submitted for examination.
How to have your say
The consultation is open now and closes at 11.59pm on Thursday 24 September 2026.
Residents, businesses and other interested organisations can view the emerging Local Plan and submit representations through the Torbay Council Local Plan consultation.
The council says this is an important opportunity for people to scrutinise the plan before it moves to the next stage of the planning process.
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