Transport and Movement
The site is within easy reach of a wide range of services and facilities including two supermarkets which are a few minutes’ walk away.
Just on the other side of the B3178 Salterton Road is Liverton Business Park, which provides a wide range of shops and workplaces.
There are regular bus services: at present the 157/357 buses between Exmouth town centre and Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth run every half hour during the day; the local town services 98 and 98a also run nearby.
The 157/357 route connects to the 57 service to Exeter via Lympstone and the 58 service to Exeter via Woodbury.
Importantly, the National Cycle Route 2 passes through the heart of the site. This provides easy access to Exmouth Railway Station by bike in no more than 15 minutes. From there it is a little over 20 minutes by train to Exeter Central Station.
Without a car, the centre of Exeter can be reached by sustainable modes of transport in around 45 minutes.
The hub would also offer: a car club, providing vehicles for residents who then might not need to own a car of their own; EV charge points to encourage the use of less-polluting electric cars and vans; and a parcel delivery point.
The café could also provide office facilities for people who don’t have the space to work from home, to cut down on the need to commute.
Access to the site for motorised transport would be from Salterton Road and we are proposing a roundabout be built to serve not just the site but also the Liverton Business Park at its entrance by the fire station. New pedestrian and cyclist crossing facilities would be provided here too.
The potential for an additional pedestrian point of connection off the northern side of Capel Lane will be considered along with the existing pedestrian and cycle connection provided further south.
The design of the travel network within the new development would comply with the Department for Transport’s Manual for Streets, which places an emphasis on creating a safe environment for all, and prioritising walking and cycling.
Devon County Council, as the Highways Authority, will be consulted throughout the design stages.
Landscape and Ecology
Like a third of East Devon, the site sits in an AONB, which today is known as a National Landscape.
Landscape and EcologyIn selecting the site to be included in the draft Local Plan, East Devon District Council gave careful consideration to balancing this designation with the need for new housing, and the desire to see housing being delivered in sustainable locations, such as Exmouth.
The site’s location at the edge of the National Landscape is an over-riding consideration when it comes to considering the landscape of the new development.
It needs to be carefully integrated with the National Landscape so it protects views from the site, as well as views to the site from elsewhere. The approach into Exmouth along Salterton road from the east will be improved through additional planting and woodland along the northern edge of the site. In broad terms, the site slopes down to the south. This provides an opportunity to plan development on the lower-lying ground and to the east and south of the site, protecting the setting of existing homes in Littleham. This would also limit the visual impact of the site on neighbouring areas.
Initial ideas for the landscape include creating a native woodland edge, which would provide recreational space as well as improved biodiversity links to the wider landscape. Throughout the development, there would be room for multifunctional open spaces, meaning people can exercise and spend time in the open air close to home, providing space for the whole of Littleham and the wider area to utilise. We are also holding exploratory discussions with St Margaret’s and St Andrew’s Church in Littleham regarding the opportunity for a civic cemetery.
Ecologically, much of the site is grassland which while suitable for some farming is effectively a monoculture with quite a low ecological value.
Elsewhere, hedgerows, woodland, streams and ditches are of greater ecological value and these could be enhanced and integrated with new areas of habitat such as additional woodland, wildflower meadows and ponds.
A comprehensive year-round ecological survey will help us to understand more about the site and what measures could be taken to preserve and protect existing wildlife, and to attract fresh species.
The impact of new residents on the surrounding area will also be considered. When any new homes are built in East Devon, Exeter, and Teignbridge, contributions are made by developers which go towards managing internationally important conservation sites for future generations to enjoy.
These sites are the Exe Estuary, Dawlish Warren and the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths (pictured).
New developments in England, residential and commercial, are also required to deliver what is called a biodiversity net gain, preferably on the site itself. This means we will need to understand how diverse the current biology of the site is, and make sure that our plans lead to a measurable improvement.
We have volunteered to be a part of the Homes for Nature initiative which will see a bird-nesting brick or box installed for every new home built and hedgehog highways added across the site.
Flood risk and drainage
The great majority of the site is in Flood Zone 1, therefore at the lowest risk of flooding.
There are areas to the south of the site, near Littleham Brook, which are understood to be at a higher risk, and we will ensure that development does not take place in these areas. When it comes to any new development, the starting point in any situation is that it should not make flood risk worse anywhere else.
Sustainable urban drainage systems, or SUDS, would be incorporated into this development. This means that the surface water drainage system would be effectively self-contained, and would not flow through pipes or culverts to existing watercourses.
Typically, a SUDS would incorporate a range of features such as ponds and basins, or soakaways, which store rainwater and allow it to soak into the ground naturally, rather than running off the surface.
Ponds and small areas of wetland would also provide fresh habitats and areas of increased biodiversity, helping nature, as well as new recreational areas for local people.
We are well aware that sewage has rarely been out of the headlines in Exmouth recently. We have already spoken to South West Water to make them aware of our proposals for this site.We are working to understand SWW’s strategy for bringing forward necessary improvements in its infrastructure.
We have also been speaking with officers from both East Devon District Council, and Devon County Council who are the Lead Local Flood Authority.
The most recent issues have been caused by burst sewage pipes, and by storm overflows meaning sewage has been pumped out to sea when the system cannot cope with bad weather.
Our initial proposal for sewerage for this site is to connect into the local network, but with additional infrastructure such as a pumping station likely to be provided.
We are keen to investigate ways that this development can improve the situation for local people and so will continue talks with South West Water and local authorities to see what can be achieved.