Alison Stephenson

Editorial Manager at Okehampton Times

Editorial Manager at Tavistock Times Gazette

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Articles

Broadwoodwidger agroforestry project seeks approval for off-grid cabin

2 days ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

Timber, charcoal and livestock will be part of the agroforestry project. (Unsplash)Two people spearheading an agroforestry project in Broadwoodwidger want permission to live in an off-grid cabin in the woods for three years to establish the enterprise. Torridge District Council is being asked to approve a temporary rural worker’s dwelling for Damon Palmer and Lindsay Smith as well as retrospective permission for a packing shed.
Plymouth council addresses youth vaping trends in health survey

1 week ago | kingsbridge-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

Vapeoresso Vape (Image: Vaporesso on Unsplash) (Vapeoresso Vape (Image: Vaporesso on Unsplash))More than a third of children between the ages of 12 and 15 in Plymouth who took part in a survey have tried vaping. Public health specialists told a meeting of Plymouth City Council’s health and wellbeing board that among 4,000 year eight and year ten pupils questioned, there appeared to be “quite a lot of experimentation” but very few take up the habit.
West Devon Borough Council's £7.6m plan for Okehampton housing

2 weeks ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

West Devon Borough Council offices at Kilworthy Park, Tavistock. (Google Street View)Councillors in West Devon have agreed to start work on a planning application for homes in Okehampton. The district council bought two acres of land next to Wonnacotts Road in the town centre for housing some years ago. It is likely to cost in the region of £7.6 million to build 30 to 40 homes on it. The council has set aside £100,000 to begin the planning application.
Crediton Road footpath will be built next summer after successful campaign from locals

2 weeks ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

A missing section of footpath on Crediton Road in Okehampton will be funded by West Devon Borough Council. The footpath will be built next summer, with developers contributing £100,000 and West Devon Borough Council funding £150,000. In the authority’s hub committee meeting this week councillors were told that currently children in the new estates have no safe route to the new primary school and must go along the road or take a longer diversion.
Dartmoor National Park reports £8,500 surplus despite funding cuts

3 weeks ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

Parke House Bovey Tracy headquarters of Dartmoor National Park Authority. (mda )Despite facing its biggest funding cut in years, Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) has come out of 2024/25 with a cash surplus and increased reserves. A financial report presented to the authority ‘s audit and governance committee this week shows a surplus of £8,500 and that reserves earmarked for future projects increasing by £54,000.
Dartmoor faces long wait for broadband upgrade

3 weeks ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

Dartmoor National Park (mda )There are fears that Dartmoor could wait years for broadband improvements. Broadband connectivity across the moor or the lack of it was the top issue for parish councils when recently surveyed by Dartmoor National Park Authority. But the area could be “at the back of the queue” in a new contract being rolled out across Devon and Somerset, chief executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority Kevin Bishop told an audit and governance committee this week.
School in the woods allowed to operate permanently on Dartmoor

1 month ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

One of the pods at the Running Deer school near Moretonhampstead, (Submitted)An independent school for children with special educational needs has been allowed to permanently operate from a woodland in Dartmoor National Park. Members of Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) unanimously backed the application by Running Deer School which runs the forest school in 16 acres of Butterdon Wood near Moretonhampstead, calling it “fantastic” and said they “couldn’t endorse it enough”.
Plans for new women's refuge

1 month ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

Fair Glen, a former residential home in Plymouth which could be turned into a women’s refuge centre (Submitted)Plans have been outlined for a women’s refuge centre at a former residential home in Plymouth to meet a shortage of accommodation. Devon-based community interest company Led by Dreams says that for every bed currently available in Plymouth for women and children fleeing domestic abuse, there are more than 11 people needing it.
Lib Dem councillors make double figures on Torridge

2 months ago | okehampton-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

Kerry O'Rourke, new Lib Dem councillor for Appledore (Submitted)The Liberal Democrats have increased their number of Torridge District councillors to ten after Kerry O’Rourke won a by-election in Appledore. The party is now not far behind the independents, who have 13 councillors. Six Conservative councillors, three Green, two Labour and two non-aligned councillors make up the rest of the council.
Plans for livestock facility halted over contamination worries

2 months ago | tavistock-today.co.uk | Alison Stephenson

The agricultural building proposed for conversion at Stoneleigh Farm. Picture: TDC (TDC)A livestock processing facility won’t be built near Shebbear because of concerns about neighbouring land being contaminated. Torridge District Council’s plans committee said there was a lack of information on how foul water would be stored and how surrounding farmland and property would be protected.