Devon new town ‘still happening’ despite missing government priority list

A proposed new town in Devon will “still happen” even though it has failed to secure backing in a major government scheme.

Marlcombe, which would be the second new town in East Devon, was recognised in the New Towns Taskforce Report last year but has not been selected as one of the final seven locations likely to be progressed.

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Supporters of the prospective development say it will still go ahead in line with their vision for the area.

“Marlcombe will still be happening,” said Councillor Todd Olive (Liberal Democrat, Rockbeare and Whimple), who chairs East Devon District Council’s strategic planning committee.

“This announcement changes where we might secure external support from, but it doesn’t change the overarching purpose or the need for the town.”

He added that the way Marlcombe would be developed would also not alter because of this decision.

East Devon has pledged to avoid the mistakes it made with Cranbrook, which led to many homes being built and occupied before various services or infrastructure were completed.

With Marlcombe, the intention is to launch a development corporation overseen by the council, enabling it to guide what is built and when.

Cllr Olive stressed that the government’s announcement on Sunday (March 22), selecting just seven of the initial proposals as formal New Towns, was technically a consultation.

“We think that the government has fundamentally made the wrong decision and we will be fighting to find out why it was made and on what basis,” he said.

“We will be responding to the consultation and will be looking forward to having a robust conversation on the issue.”

Cllr Olive said that while he would “naturally be a cheerleader” for East Devon’s scheme, he genuinely believed it was the most advanced plan considered by the government.

“The evidence speaks for itself,” he said.

“Marlcombe is the most advanced of the 12 original proposals. It is the only one mentioned in a local plan, which we will be adopting in around 18 months. 

“It has the most advanced evidence base and an outline business case that is being finalised this week.

“It is also a greenfield site without the complications of urban extensions or brownfield issues; it has the fewest constraints, and we have the landowners on board.”

Cllr Olive said that while exclusion from the New Towns scheme would be a blow, he would be “very surprised if we were left completely up the creek without a paddle”, suggesting that other financial and non-financial support could be available to help Marlcombe progress.

“We are still expecting some support for Marlcombe,” he said.

“There are quite a number of programmes out there, including avenues that the government has just announced.”

Alongside announcing that Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Crews Hill and Chase Park in Enfield, Leeds South Bank in West Yorkshire, Manchester Victoria North, Thamesmead in Greenwich, Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc in South Gloucestershire, and Milton Keynes had been selected as the seven prospective new towns, the government also outlined other initiatives.

It said the National Housing Bank would launch on 1 April with up to £16 billion of financial capacity, aiming to deliver more than 500,000 new homes and unlock £53 billion of private investment.

Westminster also said there would be an additional £400 million over the next decade to subsidise developments.

Regarding Marlcombe and the other locations not progressed, including Plymouth, the government said all were considered “credible development opportunities” that may still receive support through existing housing programmes.

“In Plymouth, for example, there is a unique opportunity to bolster the UK’s defence and security sector, and it will have its own bespoke support package to unlock its potential as a centre of excellence in naval technology and to ensure that a lack of good-quality homes does not act as a barrier to growth,” the government said.

The consultation on the announcement will run until 18 May, with the final New Town locations expected to be confirmed later this year.