OKEHAMPTON residents opposed to the current development plans for the town are this week being urged to sign a petition before it is taken to Downing Street.

Members of the Okehampton Sustainable Development Group have currently collected more than 2,500 signatures — but the group is now urging people who haven't signed to do so as soon as possible.

The move comes after West Devon Borough councillors agreed this week to move to the consultation phase of Okehampton's draft core strategy, which aims to guide development in the area for the next twenty years and beyond.

However, the Okehampton Sustainable Development group are adamant that the infrastructure in Okehampton is at breaking point already —before any major sustained development has taken place.

One of the groups members, Carol Hookway, said: 'We need the infrastructure now, it's just not coping.

'The schools have been off for six weeks and there's been no improvement in the traffic whatsoever, so the blame can't be pointed at them.

'It seems to me that that they just want to shove all the development in Okehampton so then it's out the way.

'We also need jobs. If people are going to come and live here where are they going to work?

'It's not just in Okehampton, it's happening everywhere in this part of the country, we're just going to become a concrete block.

'It's up to the Government to say enough is enough, we're just trying to fight for the sake of this town.'

The borough council's plans would see a minimum of 1,400 houses built in Okehampton by 2026. This would see an average of around 75 houses built in the town each year, across an 18 year period.

There will be a series of consultation days for the public to view the borough council's draft core strategy on Wednesday, October 8 in Okehampton's Charter Hall and on Saturday, October 18 in the Ockment Centre.

Meanwhile, Mel Stride, one of the founding members of the Okehampton Sustainable Development Group and Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for the new Central Devon seat, is hoping to put plans in place to present the petition to number 10 Downing Street in the coming months.

Anyone who wishes to sign the petition can do so at Red Rooster Cafe or Occasions in the Okehampton's Arcade.

The group is still seeking volunteers to help them in their fight.

Anyone who feels they can help should contact Carol Hookway on 01837 54723 or Pam Stewart on 01837 659642.