Torbay Local Plan Update (2025 to 2045): A Landscape to Thrive.
The Draft Local Plan has been Published for Consultation between Friday 28 November 2025 and 23.59 on Monday 26 January 2026. You can view the draft Plan and make comments on it via our Consultation Portal.
Background information and previous stages of the Local Plan are available on our Local Plan Update page.
The Local Plan Update is supported by a number of technical studies, topic papers and reports. These are available below.
Housing
Housing and Economic Needs Assessment (HENA)
Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)
Employment
13947Retail and Town Centres
11249,11103Provides up to date evidence on retail land use and town centre health issues for an update to the Torbay Local Plan.
Appendices for the main 2022 Torbay Retail Study.
Strategic Landscape Study of Torbay
As part of the evidence base for the preparation of the updated Local Plan the Council has commissioned Stephenson Halliday (an RSK Group company) to prepare a Strategic Landscape Study, comprising four related studies. The other studies are: Landscape Sensitivity Assessment (in two parts); Open Space Review (in three parts) and Review of Valued Landscapes.
The Landscape Character Assessment is the first of these interlinked studies, which will provide a tool to understand the Torbay landscape and assist in monitoring and guiding future landscape change. This report provides an update to the previous Torbay Landscape Character Assessment produced by Enderby Associates in 2010. It should be noted that the Landscape Character Assessment and its supporting studies do not make policy in their own right. They will form an important part of the evidence base to inform Torbay Council in the preparation of the Local Plan update and related strategies.
Landscape Sensitivity Assessments:
10396,10643This study focuses on the landscape and visual sensitivity of potential new or extended Future Growth Areas to residential and commercial development.
This study is intended as a broad assessment of landscape and visual sensitivity at a Landscape Character Type (LCT) scale considering different wind and solar development scenarios (small, medium and large).
Torbay Public Open Space Studies:
11536,11620,11693This study provides an analysis of the Urban Landscape Protection Areas (ULPA) that are designated in the extant Torbay Local Plan. The aim is to understand what contribution these spaces make to the landscape of Torbay.
This study provides an analysis of the Local Green Spaces (LGS) that are designated in the Torquay, Paignton and Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plans. The aim is to understand what contribution these spaces make to the landscape of Torbay. It does not address the criteria that are not related to landscape.
This study provides an analysis of the Public Open Spaces (POS) that are designated in the Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan1. The overall aim is to understand what contribution these spaces make to the landscape of Torbay. This study does not address the criteria that are not related to landscape.
Review of Valued Landscapes:
10851This report provides initial guidance on criteria-based approaches to identification and designation of valued landscapes in Torbay.
Recreation impact report
11316,11437Heritage Impact Assessment
Read the full site heritage impact assessments (HIAs).
Agricultural land studies
A strategic study of the potential loss of Best and Most Versatile agricultural land to housing and employment allocations in the Local Plan, and it forms part of the Local Plan evidence base.
A strategic study of the potential loss of Best and Most Versatile agricultural land to housing and employment allocations in the Local Plan, and it forms part of the Local Plan evidence base.