This plan called “Clyst village” is next door to the proposed new town of 8,000 homes called Marlcombe, BUT IS NOT IN THE LOCAL PLAN.

“Greater Exeter” combined authority looks like being a honey pot for developers who are arguing that this proposal could be a “quick win” for new homes (and a good win for them} – think GESP on steroids! 

Remember GESP? The former Greater Exeter Strategic Plan, promoted by “build, build, build” East Devon Tories was largely driven by unrealistic university expansion assumptions now challenged by falling overseas enrollment. Pulling out of this was one of the first things the new coalition did when it took control of East Devon in 2020. – Owl

A map showing where the 2,000 homes could be in East Devon if approved.

Bradley Gerrard www.devonlive.com

A bold plan for a major development of 2,000 new homes along with a new primary school and road junctions has been revealed in East Devon.

The scheme, whose local Exeter-based developer has dubbed it ‘Clyst Village’, is targeting land between Crealy Theme Park on the A3052 and Clyst St George on the A376.

Besides the scale of the site, controversy could be sparked by its location, which is not identified in East Devon District Council’s existing local plan.

Furthermore, the council prefers land between the A30 and A3052, east of Westpoint, for its proposed new town of Marlcombe.

While Marlcombe remains at an early stage in its planning, its eventual realisation is a fundamental factor of East Devon’s emerging local plan, which it is hoping to submit to government later this year and which will identify where the principle of development is acceptable between now and 2042.

Marlcombe has been recognised within a national programme for the next generation of new towns, although no final confirmation has yet been given on whether it will progress further in that government-run scheme.

The prospect of Clyst Village’s 2,000 homes alongside Marlcombe’s prospective 8,000 would add huge numbers to the district’s housing figures.

The juxtaposition with Marlcombe is directly referenced in the application by Stuart Partners Limited.

“Clyst Village acknowledges that the delivery model for Marlcombe is uncertain and requires significant external funding, meaning delivery is highly optimistic,” planning documents state.

“Clyst is capable of delivering faster, thus plugging an expected delivery gap.”

Like many councils, East Devon is behind on its government-mandated housing targets and a large development could help ease that problem.

However, the application is purely an outline one at this stage, and so would not deal with the layout of development, the exact location of homes and the appearance of buildings, at this stage.

Those factors would be the focus of a subsequent application if the outline one is approved.

Besides the proposed homes, the developer wants to build a new primary school, neighbourhood centre, open space, and employment land.

Significantly, the scheme proposes a new access onto the A3052 that it says will connect to the existing highway but also “support future connectivity to development to the north”, and that detailed designs for a junction on the A376 would also come forward as part of a response developed collaboratively with the council to public transport and active travel improvements.

East Devon District Council said the land was not allocated for development in its existing local plan.

“In preparing the draft new local plan, the council favoured land between the A30 and A3052, east of Westpoint, for the proposed Marlcombe new town,” it said in a statement.

“The application now received seeks to promote the Crealy and Clyst St George site as a village that would be separate to proposals for Marlcombe.

“Land does not need to be allocated in a local plan for a planning application to be submitted.

“The council is legally required to consider all valid planning applications on their individual planning merits, taking account of relevant planning policies and other material considerations.

“No decision has been made on the application. The council has not formed a view on whether planning permission should be granted or refused.”

‘if the government want to do it they will have to pay for it’

Torridge blocks £400k for ‘damaging’ Devon council merge

[Torridge District Council: political balance, 36 councillors, no overall control:  LibDem 12, Independent 11, Con 5, Green 4, Lab  2, non-aligned 2]]

Alison Stephenson www.devonlive.com

Frustrated Torridge councillors have rejected putting £400,000 aside for local government shake-up costs because they don’t like the decision made by ministers to create a massive Devon council.

They have decided that the money, which is part of the district council’s £2.6 million surplus from 2025/26, should be spent on local residents before the district council is dissolved in 2028 instead.

The government recently decided that four unitary councils responsible for all local services will replace the existing 11 councils of different types and differing responsibilities in Devon in the biggest shake-up nationally in 50 years.

Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay will expand into neighbouring areas with a huge coast and countryside authority covering the rest of the county from Ilfracombe in the north to Salcombe in the south and over to Sidmouth in the east.

This proposal put forward by Devon’s Labour-led city councils received just 20 per cent of public support.

Critics claim the decision is “political” and will benefit the cities with the “rural rump” of Devon left with a sparse population and no economic centre stretching 110 miles north to south.

Torridge District Council (TDC) along with other district and borough councils in Devon, except Exeter, supported the 4-5-1 three unitary authority model, with Plymouth as a standalone authority, a northern/central authority including Exeter, North Devon, Torridge, Mid Devon and East Devon and a southern authority covering Torbay, Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon.

They said it better met the government’s own criteria on size and kept existing boundaries in the main intact.

At a TDC full council meeting on Monday Cllr Thomas Elliott (Con, Two Rivers and Three Moors)) said: “I was under the impression that the government was going to pay the costs. Surely it would be better if we spent that money on local residents rather than something that is being forced upon us from higher up.”

Cllr Chris Bright (Lib Dem, Great Torrington) proposed they remove the £400,000 from the list of recommendations by officers on what to spend the surplus money on.

It was to pay for professional support and transition costs before the transfer of the council’s functions to the new Devon unitary authority on April 1 2028

“We all know it is going to be damaging to our area, if they (the government) want to do it they will have to pay for it,” he said.

His proposal was supported by 15 votes to 14.

Chief executive of TDC Steve Hearse said the £400,000 was an indicative figure and it was likely to cost more.

The government says each area undergoing local government reorganisation will receive more than £1 million per new unitary created.

But in Devon the costs have been estimated by local leaders at between £50 and £70 million.

Devon County Council is considering a legal challenge against the government’s decision on how Devon should be carved up.

Torridge councillors agreed to put the council’s surplus cash towards supporting leisure and projects within the community regeneration partnership, planned maintenance, stabilising the budget and reducing future borrowing.