Planning Context
Local authorities such as East Devon District Council draw up Local Plans to guide the growth and development of their areas.
These plans need to be regularly reviewed and updated to make sure they keep up with changes in the need for new housing, and for places to work and for leisure.
At the same time, they need to reflect changes in national rules and policies.
East Devon District Council is in the final stages of producing its latest Local Plan, intended to guide development up to the year 2042.
It sets out to address a need to provide around 20,000 new homes across the district in that time, to deal with the area’s growing population. Around half of this total is proposed at a new community to the east of Exeter.
Provision is being made in Exmouth, as the district’s main town, to accommodate around 1,500 homes, together with new employment space.
Included in the draft Local Plan is a site at Littleham, south of Salterton Road. It has been proposed in the plan that this site would be suitable for a mixed-use development to provide 410 new homes and 1.6 hectares of employment and community use land.
The project team is working in co-operation with East Devon District Council officers on these proposals and a Planning Performance Agreement is being drawn up.
Alongside the Local Plan sits the Exmouth Neighbourhood Plan, adopted in 2019, which also helps inform proposals for development in the town.
Exmouth Town Council has recently commissioned a new Housing Needs Assessment, which will help developers and decision-makers understand what type of housing is most needed.
The need for affordable housing is monitored by Devon Home Choice. Its latest figures show that there are 2,732 households – approximately 5,500 people – in housing need across the district, and in total around 11,000 people on the waiting list for social or affordable housing in East Devon. That’s more than the populations of Budleigh Salterton and Ottery St Mary combined.
Today we’re seeking your input into proposals for this one site south of Salterton Road.
If you’d like to give the council feedback on the Local Plan, you can do so by visiting www.eastdevon.gov.uk/community-engagement
Vision
The vision for the site is to deliver a sustainable development set within a high-quality natural environment.
The proposals would integrate closely with the existing community and would provide infrastructure for new and existing residents such as increased access to natural green spaces and improved walking and cycling links.
The site’s location will drive its design and layout. At the heart of the proposals will be the need to reflect the wider landscape, its connections with Littleham and Exmouth area whilst also embracing new technologies in the form of carbon reduction, energy efficiency and sustainability.
The site will provide for much needed new housing that meets the requirements for Exmouth but will also create significant areas of accessible open space to be enjoyed by all, improve the site’s biodiversity and develop a community hub based on the cycle path.
Sustainability will not only steer the layout of the proposed development but it will be central to the design of the buildings. Every opportunity will be taken to develop low carbon intensive, energy efficient properties, which have a minimal effect on the environment. We will follow the latest building regulations utilising local materials and incorporate energy saving technologies where appropriate.
The proposed development of the site represents an opportunity to develop a place that is grounded in the landscape and is driven by the need to create a sensitive, reflective development that integrates with Littleham, is built with highest sustainable criteria in mind and provides opportunities for all to enjoy its attractive location.
Through walking, cycling and bus routes, the site will link to local employment, community, and retail facilities. It will also create a significant number of new local jobs through the construction phases and safeguarding land for new employment space to benefit from the synergies with Liverton Business Park.
Placemaking
Bloor Homes have been committed to creating great places for many years. The Government have also identified support for this approach through the National Design Guide, National Model Design Code and the National Planning Policy Framework latest update in 2023. We believe great placemaking at Littleham, Exmouth will lead to a strong legacy, add genuine value and reinforce the character of the locality.
The National Design Guide (NDG) was published on 1 October 2019. The NDG addresses the question of how we recognise well-designed places, by outlining and illustrating the Government’s priorities in the form of ten characteristics. These characteristics work together in a mutually supporting way, interacting to create an overall character of place.
Putting place first will lead to the creation of a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable community where residents enjoy a high quality of life, surrounded by green spaces, access to modern amenities, and a strong sense of belonging.
At the developments heart will be a sustainable mobility hub/cafe, serving as the community’s focal point. This will offer the opportunity for active travel choices, giving access to wider services, and social spaces, close by in Exmouth town centre, fostering a sense of community and providing residents with everything they need within easy reach. Additionally, the cycle path that crosses the site, provides significant accessibility to the wider countryside and close by settlements such as Budleigh Salterton.
The proposals will respect and celebrate the heritage assets within proximity of the site, ensuring that the historical and cultural significance of the area is retained and valued for future generations.
A generous amount of green space will be interwoven throughout the development, providing a range of environments for relaxation, recreation, and connection with nature. These green areas will enhance the overall well-being of our residents, promote an active lifestyle for all ages, and contribute to a sustainable, ecologically-friendly bio-diverse environment. They will include an appropriate quantum of SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace) which will help reduce the pressure on existing popular natural green spaces, to protect then for the future.
