With its farms, woodlands, rivers, estuaries, unique coastline and distinctive buildings much of the South Hams falls within the area designated as the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is a precious heritage, which can never be replaced once damaged or destroyed.

The conservation of the South Hams as a living working environment is of major importance to us all. Our growing membership provides a wide range of skills and interests and is having an increased influence over future plans for the area.

The South Hams Society was founded in June 1961.  You can download a PDF of our leaflet here.

Activities

1. The Society holds regular events for members, these include meetings and talks given by well known speakers on interesting subjects.

Events

2. Our planning sub-Committee reviews planning applications in the South Hams focussing on the former Southern Area of South Hams District and maintains a rapport with the local planning authority authorities, who welcome our written comments. We study national and regional plans for development, attend meetings and workshops both locally and further afield, and actively respond to consultation documents.

Recent Responses to Planning Applications

3. The Society engages very widely in all matters concerned with the South Hams landscape, its conservation, and its use as a public amenity and regards the South Hams as a living working environment that has to change to meet the many demands put on it, but in a way that is sympathetic to the environment and all who depend upon it.

Our members are very active within the South Devon AONB Partnership. We maintain links with parishes throughout the Area, many other local organisations and amenity societies covering other parts of South Hams District. The Society is represented on a newly forming partnership established in 2007 to submit a funding bid to SWRDA for 'Local Action for Rural Communities' For more information about the work of our partner organisations please refer to the Links page.