Making the Plan

The preparation of the Market and Coastal Towns Association (MCTA) Community Strategic Plan for Dawlish was managed by the steering group of the Dawlish Regeneration Group (DRG). The Group was supported by representatives of Dawlish Town Council, Teignbridge District Council, Devon County Council and the 'Across the Coastline' partnership.

On completion of the MCTA-funded work it was determined that a properly constituted body was needed to carry the plan forward, and Dawlish Community Trust was incorporated as a Private Limited Company and Registered Charity. Its trustees are unpaid volunteers drawn from the community.

Identifying the issues

The Dawlish Community Strategic Plan builds on the 2002 Dawlish Town Appraisal and the work of the Dawlish Partnership Forum which received financial support from the Leader+ programme. The Plan has also benefited from the work carried out by the 'Across the Coastline' Partnership between Teignmouth and Dawlish, which was set up in September 2003. Dawlish was accepted into the MCTA programme in July 2004, and throughout 2004 nine community consultation events were held in the Plan area to identify the key issues which concerned the community, and which should be addressed in the Plan. Five events were held in Dawlish, two events in Holcombe and one each in Cockwood and Dawlish Warren. Specific consultations were held with summer visitors, young people and with traders in Dawlish Warren. During this time the Group completed the detailed MCTA 'Healthcheck', which analysed the socio-economic status of the area and identified key issues facing Dawlish and the surrounding communities, together with a 'Strategic Review' of the relevant strategies and plans that affect the area.

Developing solutions

The issues identified in the consultations, the Healthcheck and the review of the strategies were analysed and presented to a stakeholders' meeting held on 5 November 2004 at the Langstone Cliff Hotel. The purpose of the meeting was to enable agencies with projects and programmes that affect the Dawlish area to comment on the issues, to identify any missing issues and to indicate how their projects and programmes might help to address the issues. The meeting also developed an outline 'Vision' for Dawlish. After the results of the Stakeholders' Meeting had been analysed, DRG set up six working groups covering:

• Economy, Business and Skills
• Traffic, Shopping and Transport
• Community issues
• Heritage, tourism and the arts
• Lawn, Beach and Manor Gardens
• Dawlish Warren

These groups were chaired by DRG members. An open public meeting was held at Dawlish Community College on 29 November 2004 to set out this proposed programme. As a result, a number of people volunteered to join the core groups and they have broadened the involvement of the Dawlish community in developing the proposals. The working groups studied each of the relevant key issues in depth and developed projects and programmes of activities that would address the key issues in each area. The projects brought forward by the working groups were then prioritised, in terms of their deliverability, their contribution to addressing the issues identified by the community, and to the overall vision for Dawlish.

Getting the Community's approval

The final issues and proposals to be included in the Plan were presented to the community in June 2005 and the Plan amended to take account of comments received.

Full details of the consultation process are contained in the 'Consultation Scrapbook' which, along with the 'Healthcheck' and the 'Strategic Review', is available in the Dawlish Community Trust office or on its web site.

The September 2005 publication carries extended information about the working process.

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Dawlish Community Trust, Room 7, The Manor House, Old Town Street, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9AP :: Telephone (01626) 866803