East Devon Council moves forward with housing plans

On Monday, September 16, a public open day at the Westpoint Centre will give residents a preview of what a new community in their area could look like.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has identified the need for a second new community in East Devon as part of its new Local Plan to meet housing demands.

The proposed community will accommodate up to 8,000 homes, along with associated employment opportunities. 

Designed to be self-sufficient and dynamic, the community will feature a range of facilities, including schools, shops, parks, and playing fields.

The preferred site for this development is located south of Exeter Airport and the A30, and north of the A3052.

If approved, the new community would deliver up to 2,500 sustainable homes during the Local Plan period (until 2042) and include a variety of community facilities within a biodiverse, zero-carbon environment.

Cllr Todd Olive, EDDC’s Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning, said: “This new community is a key part of our strategy for delivering genuinely sustainable new homes. Large-scale development of this kind enables us to embed new jobs, local services, and green spaces—ensuring that we create a vibrant, sustainable new town that residents can be proud to call home.

“By developing a masterplan, we are seeking to ensure that the new community is delivered to an exemplary standard and avoids some of the pitfalls of a commercially-led approach that we have seen in recent history. 

“Among other things, that means working hard to make sure that the right funding for infrastructure comes forward. We will be making the case for that support to the government in the coming months.

“This drop-in event is an important opportunity for you to share your thoughts on the evolving masterplan and to help shape what this new community will look like for decades to come. Please do use it.”

Over the past two years, the council has collaborated with a technical team to develop evidence supporting the creation of a new community. 

Multiple locations underwent extensive technical assessments and were evaluated against key criteria, with public consultations conducted as part of the draft Local Plan from November 2022 to January 2023. 

The preferred site option was approved by EDDC Councillors in December 2023.

Two concept master plans will be presented to the general public at a drop-in event at Westpoint Centre on 16 September between 11:30am and 7:30pm.

You can view the full agenda here.