In September last year, the Government announced proposals to build 12 new towns, including one in East Devon, Marlcombe. Following the New Towns Taskforce report and an assessment of each proposal, the Government concluded that Marlcombe did not present the strongest case. As a result, it will not proceed under the New Towns programme, although development could still come forward through existing planning routes.
Despite this announcement, Councillor Todd Olive, Chair of East Devon District Council’s Strategic Planning Committee, has indicated that the council remains committed to pursuing development at Marlcombe and does not intend to revise its approach considering the Government’s decision.
At the same time, the Liberal Democrat run East Devon District Council has produced a Local Plan that proposes significant housing growth across our area, including in Exmouth and Exeter East, without sufficient certainty that the necessary infrastructure will be delivered alongside it.
I have been clear that I support housebuilding. We need more homes for young families and future generations. Too often, development is approved without firm guarantees that roads, schools, healthcare and water capacity will keep pace, placing strain on existing communities.
Development must be in the right locations and supported by the infrastructure people rely on every day. During the General Election, I argued for a system where water companies, transport planners and local services are involved from the outset. At present, water companies are not statutory consultees in the planning process, meaning they are often brought in too late, after key decisions have already been taken. That is why I have been pressing for utility providers such as South West Water to be made statutory consultees, so infrastructure is properly considered, planned and delivered alongside new housing from the start.
This situation highlights a wider inconsistency in the current approach to housing and planning. While the Government is ambitious about increasing housing supply, that ambition must be matched by a credible plan to fund and deliver the infrastructure those homes depend on. Equally, if Councillor Olive and East Devon District Council intend to continue pursuing development at Marlcombe, it is crucial that any such plans are backed by clear, deliverable infrastructure provision from the outset.
