Ten East Devon parishes have been designated ‘neighbourhood areas’ and are set to receive funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Dunkeswell, Stockland, Upottery, Cotleigh, Membury, Broadhembury, Luppitt, Chardstock, Yarcombe and Monkton and will be supporting one another, sharing resources and expert assistance.

Residents are being given the opportunity to have their say on local issues or join the team as part of launch events being held in each parish.

These and other issues will be the topic of a household survey during June and July, which will inform the next stage of the plan.

Geoffrey Sworder, of Dunkeswell Parish Council, said: “The economies of working together have allowed every parish to produce a plan whereas alone the cost and enormity of the task may have been prohibitive.”

Neighbourhood plans are a new type of planning strategy produced by the local community that will enable the parishes to set their own detailed planning policies to guide future development and conservation.

The parishes are being supported by DCLG, East Devon District Council and the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

In line with the EDDC Local Plan, the neighbourhood plans will cover the period 2015 to 2031.

Launch events:

Upottery – Friday, June 13, 10am - 7pm, The Manor Room

Cotleigh – Saturday, June 14, 11am - 5pm, Cotleigh Village Hall

Membury – Friday, June 20, 3pm – 7.30pm, Saturday 21, 9am – 1pm, Membury Village Hall

Broadhembury – Tuesday, June 24, Memorial Hall

Luppitt – Thursday, June 26, 4pm – 8pm, and at the Friday Market on June 27, 10am – 12pm, Luppitt Village Hall

Chardstock – Friday, July 4, 7-9pm, Saturday, July 5, 10am-5pm, Chardstock Community Hall

Yarcombe – Saturday, July 12, 10am - 12, Yarcombe Saturday Village Market, Jubilee Hall

Monkton - see parish notice boards