In March 1999 South Hams District Council (SHDC) commenced a consultation exercise by sending every householder in their district a special issue newspaper together with a questionnaire. This was the first stage of the District's preparation for planning the future of South Hams to provide for the needs of local people with particular emphasis on affordable housing, the elderly and the disabled. The paper explained that Devon County Council (DCC) required the South Hams to provide for an additional 11,500 new homes, 7,200 of which would have to be in the West, to provide new homes for the increased number of households forecast for Plymouth City. The paper said SHDC believed that providing a new settlement of 3,500 dwellings would be the best way to meet this requirement and minimise the environmental and social impact of this number of new homes. The questionnaire gave three possible locations and asked for comments. The three alternative locations were Lee Mill, between Yealmpton and Ermington and an area south of the A38 Deep Lane junction now called Sherford.
The overall response to the questionnaire was received from 7,300 households (20%) and in answer to the specific question of location for a new settlement, the majority view (61%) was in favour of Lee Mill.
In 2002 SHDC produced their first draft consultative plan for a new settlement called Sherford which showed development all along the valley which stretches from the A38 Deep Lane junction to the A379 at Chittleburn. This Parish Council, was totally opposed to such a plan and went to great lengths to bring this to the attention of all parishioners and to explain how they could register their views. Despite 3,500 forms objecting to this proposal a Government Inspector examining DCC Structure Plan in 2004, ruled that a new settlement of 5,500 homes would be provided in a location to be agreed by consultation. This Parish Council together with SHDC, the Prince's Foundation, Utility Providers and other interested parties then met regularly to produce an acceptable scheme on the basis that we were going to have a new settlement somewhere in this area. This was progressed alongside a new planning act which came into force in August 2004 that required planning authorities to produce a local development framework but the Parish Council always insisted any development should be
1. As far away from the village as possible
2. As near to the A38 as possible
3. Main vehicle access to and from the A38
4. No vehicular access to and from the A379 until it became a dual carriageway
5. A green belt separating any development from the village and to be held in trust to prevent piecemeal development and providing a long term boundary between Plymouth City and the South Hams.
Two Brixton Parish Councillors have been involved at all stages of consultation including three public inquiries by Government Inspectors which finally resulted in an area action plan that was adopted by SHDC in August 2007. This plan embodies all the above five principles and will form the basis of any planning applications until 2016. There are many features far too numerous to list all that will benefit the villagers of Brixton. Some of the most beneficial being
1. New primary and secondary schools.
2. New sports and leisure facilities.
3. Park and Ride with access to high quality passenger transport serving Plymouth City Centre, Derriford District General Hospital and other local areas.
4. Provision for cyclists connecting to national cycle routes.
5. Health centre and small hospital.
6. Green belt providing public open recreational space.
Discussions, negotiations, arguments, public inquiries and public exhibitions have all played a part in reaching the plan adopted by SHDC and complemented by Plymouth City with their North Plymstock Area Action Plan where border issues are involved. There is currently a planning application for some outline and some detail of a first phase which hopefully will be determined by SHDC early in the spring of 2008. If agreed, this will see the commencement of 4 phases of development commencing the autumn of 2008 each phase taking 3 years to complete.
