Background
The Devon Structure Plan to 2016 (approved October 2004) proposes a new community of at least 4,000 new homes in the South Hams part of the Plymouth Principal Urban Area (PUA) at Sherford to help meet the needs of Plymouth which cannot be accommodated within the city boundary. As part of the work for the Devon Structure Plan Examination in Public (Summer 2003) the Joint Structure Plan Authorities (JSPA) produced an 
assessment of alternative options for the development of urban extensions to the Plymouth PUA. This concluded that Sherford on the edge of Plymouth was the most sustainable location for a new community. This conclusion was debated in considerable detail at the Structure Plan Examiniation in Public (EIP) and was confirmed by the EIP Panel.
The draft South Hams Local Plan Review (2002) contains a new community proposal for 3,500 dwellings in the form of 4 linked villages in the Sherford Valley. The concept statement for Sherford published by the Council in January 2002 alongside the local plan set out quality standards and sustainability credentials for the development. It will be important that these quality standards are maintained.
Joint Working
The Sherford new community is a cross border proposal which straddles the Plymouth and South Hams administrative boundary. It has been the subject of extensive joint working between Plymouth City Council, South Hams District Council, Devon County Council, the Highways Agency, the Environment Agency, landowner representatives and other key stakeholders. These organisations prepared a joint submission to the Devon Structure Plan EIP – Participants Document – PD1 set out below:
Participants Document – PD1 is divided into 8 parts:
