TAVISTOCK’S mayor has said he is ‘as confident as he can be’ of getting the town’s rail link reinstated between Tavistock to Bere Alston.

Councillor Philip Sanders was asked about the Tavistock to Bere Alston rail link – and the associated housing development off Callington Road – during the Annual Parish Assembly in the town hall on March 20.

Resident Neil Ball, of Buctor Park, asked: ‘Could you tell me whether you are still confident of getting our rail link back?’

Bovis Homes received outline planning permission back in 2015 for a development of 750 houses off Callington Road, together with a primary school, a convenience store and a railway station.

As part of the agreement, they are being asked to contribute at least £10-million towards the reinstatement of the Tavistock to Bere Alston rail line. Devon County Council has said this should happen at the same time to relieve congestion from commuters on the A386 between Tavistock and Plymouth.

However Mr Ball said things had gone very quiet on the development. ‘Another year has gone by of wondering whether this is going to get off the ground,’ he said.

Cllr Sanders said: ‘The track bed is still in existence, the tunnels are still in existence and there is no good reason why the railway should not be reinstated. All the embankments would have to be re-established, though, if it going to be a single track railway.

‘All the plans are geared towards providing a single track in for a new station off Callington Road, linking it to Bere Alston.’

However, he agreed that news on the Bovis Homes development had gone quiet, apparently due to issues with securing the land needed.

‘The land is in two owners, one private and one a consortium,’ he said. ‘Having met with Bovis Homes, I am very concerned that they have had this outline planning permission for three years. I was really anxious to get more assurance that Bovis was going to go ahead with the development.

‘In answer to your question [though] I am as confident as I can be, given that the plans are there, and Devon County Council has spent and are continuing to spend a lot of money on the plans.’

Mr Ball lives close to where the railway station would be sited off Callington Road. He said after the meeting that he was ‘reassured’ by Cllr Sanders’ comment.

Sean Ranson, spokesman for Bovis Homes, said the application to build on the site off Callington Road were still on course.

’We are currently finalising land acquisition terms with the landowners,’ he said. ’We expect to submit a reserved matters planning application for the first phase of housing in the near future and will hopefully commence work on site later this year.’

The housing proposals and facilities are included in the Joint Local Plan, setting out development proposals for the entire West Devon borough, South Hams district and the city of Plymouth for the next 20 years.

The plan, which was submitted to the secretary of state in July last year, has recently been scrutinised by planning inspectors. They will report back in due course about whether or not the plan should be altered before being adopted.