PRIVATE developments not progressing in Westward Ho! could put pressure on council plans for a £550,000 regeneration.

Torridge District Council wants to make improvements to the promenade and the village green and has secured grants towards the regeneration, but was also expecting developer contributions to help pay the bill.

The council has confirmed Westward Ho!'s renovation project is still set to start this year.

Details of the plan are yet to be released by the council, but the first phase focusing on the village green will cost £175,000 — with £100,000 of that coming from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

The second phases, which will rely more heavily on monies from the private sector, such as the £250,000 from the developers of the John Fowler Holiday Park and the Buccaneer, will focus on the promenade.

The council has been made aware of the residents' feelings on the state of the village.

But it has no powers to force developers to improve the look of the sites — unless there are health and safety grounds.

The council directed the

Journal's

enquiries about how long they expect the sites to remain derelict to the developers — none of whom would comment.

Westward Ho! councillor Roger Tisdale said he hoped problems would be resolved in the short term.

In the meantime an action plan to tidy the village has been put together.

The council has already repaired the fencing around the popular children's area and the leak in the Rock Pool.

Before Easter it plans to clean, paint and repair the seats on the promenade and during February or March it hopes to clean up the green shelters and the toilet block shelter.

During 2010 it also has plans to replace faulty lighting on the promenade, review the village's signage, start discussions to get hoarding around the Buccaneer site and paint and inspect the sea walls.

It also wants to produce a report on the condition of hand rails on the steps leading down to the beach and continue discussions with Devon County Council regarding a bus stop to allow for a coach drop off point.

Northam Town Council has also said it will provide hanging baskets, three new litter bins, two dog bins and a village notice board.

Cllr Tisdale added: "I hope the village will be pleased with Torridge's commitment to Westward Ho! and the time-scale when all of these enhancements will take place."