'Unacceptable' Government plans that would have seen a huge increase in the number of new homes built across Teignbridge have been scrapped.

The national proposals involved a change in the way housebuilding targets for each district were worked out, and would have led to 1,532 homes being built in Teignbridge every year, rather than the current requirement of 760.

All local authorities were consulted on the change last August, and Teignbridge was among the many that objected.

Speaking at the time, the council's portfolio holder for planning, Cllr Gary Taylor, said: "One of the most contentious issues is the suggestion that housing numbers will be based on a nationally set formula where more homes have to be built annually in areas where open market housing is often not affordable to local residents.

"In Teignbridge, the changes mean that our housing requirement could increase by 101% to 1,532 homes, double the current requirement to build 760 houses a year. This is a figure which I am sure councillors will consider unacceptable."

The Government has now published its response to the consultation, saying it will be meeting its housebuilding target by increasing the number of new homes by 35 per cent in the top 20 urban areas of the country.

This means Plymouth and Bristol will be the only areas in the south-west that will see an increase in the planned new housing numbers.