Cranbrook’s leisure and health hub: Final call for residents to shape new town centre

For years, residents in one of Devon’s fastest-growing new towns have been asking for two things above all else: a place to swim and a place to see a doctor.

Now, those plans are moving from the drawing board to reality.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has launched a public consultation on the proposed Cranbrook Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Campus, a major infrastructure project designed to anchor the town’s growing centre.

Since the first bricks were laid in 2011, Cranbrook has seen a rapid expansion with more than 3,400 homes, a railway station, and a supermarket. However, the "social heart" of the town has often been described by locals as the missing piece of the puzzle.

The new proposals follow a 2023 masterplan where residents identified a swimming pool and integrated GP services as their top priorities.

The site, located just north of Badger Way at the southern end of the town centre, aims to combine fitness and healthcare in a single community hub.

"This is an exciting and long-awaited step," said Cllr Nick Hookway, EDDC’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure, Sport and Tourism.

"Residents have made it clear that high-quality facilities are a priority, and we’re thrilled to be moving forward with plans shaped directly by their feedback."

The development of the leisure campus is part of a wider push to complete the town’s central district. Since 2011, more than 3,400 homes have been built, but the provision of local services has been a recurring point of debate among residents.

A new nursery is already scheduled to open in September 2026, following the recent arrival of a Morrisons supermarket and high street shops.

District planners say the current consultation is designed to ensure the leisure and health hub meets "specific community needs" before the project moves into the construction phase.

How to take part

The online survey opened on Wednesday, 4 February, and is hosted on the East Devon District Council website.