Consultation launched over plans to expand new town boundaries

Following a request from Cranbrook Town Council, East Devon District Council is currently conducting a ‘Community Governance Review’ in line with the proposals that will see the expansion of the new town.

The parish boundaries currently lie along the B3174, but with the land to the south of the main road included as part of the ‘Cranbrook Plan’, the proposed changes to the boundaries reflect the growth of the town both now and in the future.

As part of their request, the town council said it would allow the electoral arrangements to reflect the growth of the town and also make for effective and convenient local government particularly in reducing the need for estate rent charges, the effective and efficient management of open space and the maintenance of SANGs.

They added: “It would prevent expansion areas crossing local government boundaries which otherwise would result in anomalies with people being in different parishes from their immediate neighbours and parts of the same town being administered by different local councils, and provide an opportunity to establish strong and clearly defined boundaries which are tied to firm ground features.

“It would provide convenient boundaries for future District and County Council elections, establish a sense of place, an inclusive community, a sense of pride, community cohesion and civic values, bring together a town where the community has similar life opportunities and expectations, represent a distinctive and recognisable community, and provide the best opportunity to influence future planning.”

Cllr Sarah Jackson, East Devon District Council portfolio holder for democracy, transparency and communications said: “It is important that the boundaries of any Parish or Town Council be defined as appropriately as possible in order to assist the Town or Parish council to deliver consistent services to all of their residents, as well to ensure that households fall within the boundary of the community that they most closely identify with.

“For these reasons, it is entirely understandable that Cranbrook Town Council would seek a boundary review in anticipation of the growth expected for Cranbrook over the coming years. However, it is also just as important that the views of the smaller parishes and long-established communities which surround Cranbrook are properly considered prior to any changes to parish boundaries.

“Therefore, I would wholeheartedly encourage all those living in Whimple, Rockbeare, Broadclyst, Clyst Honiton and Cranbrook to engage with the consultation and take this opportunity to make your views known in the interest of ensuring the long term sustainability of every one of these unique historic villages and the vitality of East Devon’s newest town.”

The areas covered by the Community Governance Review include Treasbeare Farm to the south to Cranbrook on its western side, the Grange, which is to the south of Cranbrook on the eastern side, and around Lower Cobden, to the north of Cranbrook near Whimple.

Cranbrook currently has around 2,350 homes, equating to approximately 5,500 residents, as well a primary school and a secondary school, a railway station, a parade of local shops, the Younghayes Centre, a country park, a medical centre, and the Cranberry Farm pub, which will eventually be right at the centre of the town.

But plans set out in the East Devon Local Plan and the draft Cranbrook Plan are to grow the town to around 7,740 homes – an additional 4,170 homes from those already consented and/or built – which will give a population of just over 18,000 people.

Planning applications have been submitted for more than 1,000 of these additional houses and associated community facilities, with additional applications for some of the other identified expansion areas anticipated for submission later this year.

The expansion plans will also include two new primary schools, a SEN school, a sports hub, community centre, two new neighbourhood centres and large areas of open space, amongst other items.

The Cranbrook Plan is going through its examination by an Inspector appointed on behalf of the Secretary of State and a ruling is expected to be made before the Autumn of 2021.

WHERE WILL THE EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT TAKE PLACE?

Development parcels outlined in the plan are at Bluehayes, to the west of the existing development, Treasbeare, south of the existing development and south of the old A30, Cobdens, to the east of the existing development, and Grange, to the south of Cobden and south of the old A30.

Any business or other use that is permitted within these areas must be of an appropriate scale to the mixed use area and mainly serves the needs of the immediate neighbourhood and must not undermine the vitality and viability of the town centre.

BLUEHAYES

40 hectares of land at the Bluehayes Expansion Area is allocated for a mixed use development, which will include:

Around 960 new dwellings
Land capable of accommodating a community building and a range of business premises
Formal open space recreational land
A 420 pupil place primary school (in the event that Bluehayes is delivered before Treasbeare)
Formal play space with facilities for children and youth
Allotments totalling an area of 0.55 hectare of land
The Bluehayes expansion area will comprise a mix of housing, community and commercial uses that will provide a key route through the town linking the Cranbrook railway station with the Treasbeare expansion area, Skypark, Exeter Airport and existing development at Broadclyst Station.

TREASBEARE

62 hectares of land at the Treasbeare Expansion Area is allocated for a mixed use development, which will include:

Around 915 new houses
Land capable of accommodating a community building
A neighbourhood centre to provide at least 1500 square metres gross of groundfloor floor space, including shops and a range of business spaces
A 420 pupil place primary school (in the event that Treasbeare is built before Bluehayes)
Formal open space and recreational land
Formal play space with facilities for children and youth
A sports hub which delivers two senior rugby pitches, two junior rugby pitches, two football pitches, three junior football pitches, an all-weather pitch, four tennis courts, a sports pavilion, changing facilities and a club room
Employment land
Allotments totalling an area of 0.54 hectare of land.
A Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space
Land for an extension to the District Heating Energy Centre
Five serviced permanent pitches for gypsies and travellers
The Treasbeare expansion area will comprise a mix of housing, education, community, sport, employment and commercial uses (together with safeguarded land for the energy centre) that importantly will provide a key location for activity in the town and act as a hub for education and sporting facilities in this area. The sports hub in Treasbeare will be the main hub in Cranbrook and provide a wider range of facilities than at the Ingrams Sports hub further to the east.

COBDENS

110 hectares of land at the Cobdens Expansion Area is allocated for a mixed use development, which will include:

Around 1,495 new houses
A neighbourhood centre to provide at least 1250sq m gross of groundfloor floor space, including shops and a range of business spaces
A 630 pupil place primary school, 80 place early years provision and a room for community use
A 50 pupil place Special Educational Needs school
Formal open space recreational land
Formal play space with facilities for children and youth
An extension to the existing sports hub at Ingrams, through the provision of 1x youth 9v9 football pitch
Allotments totalling an area of 0.88 hectare of land
Ten serviced permanent pitches for gypsies and travellers
Serviced land suitable to accommodate a place of worship and parsonage
Serviced land (of at least 1 hectare in size) for a cemetery
Development of the Cobdens expansion area of Cranbrook will require the undergrounding of the 132kv high voltage power line that crosses the site as indicated in the Cranbrook Masterplan.
This Cobdens expansion area will contain around 1,490 new homes and social and community facilities. It will include provision for a neighbourhood centre and associated mixed and meanwhile uses as well as a large area of Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANGS).

GRANGE

30 hectares of land at the Grange Expansion Area is allocated for a mixed use development, which will include:

Around 800 new houses
A community building
A neighbourhood centre to provide at least 1,600sq m gross of groundfloor floor space, including shops and a range of business spaces
Formal open space
Formal play space with facilities for children and youth
Allotments totalling an area of 0.47 hectares of land
The Cranbrook Plan allocates land for comprehensive development for the Grange expansion of Cranbrook. Lying south of part of the Ingrams sports pitches serving the existing town and existing development to its north western edge, the area has a good relationship with the existing town and the Cobdens development proposed to the north.

New play areas, a skate park and a sports pavilion for the Ingram sports pitches are also set to soon come to fruition after a deed of variation to the Section 106 agreement is to be finalised and signed, with Cranbrook Town Council taking on responsibility for delivering these important community assets.

A second area of allotments is also due to be provided in the east of the town, adjacent to Southbrook Lane, to complement the existing Crannaford allotments on Rush Meadow Road.

The review will seek feedback on the current Cranbrook Town Council area with a view to establishing whether an expansion of the current town boundaries is considered to be appropriate, and a letter has been sent to all relevant consultees within the affected area, this includes plans with the boundaries marked and the formal Terms of Reference for the review.

Anyone wishing to submit your views over this matter or should you require any further information please contact EDDC by emailing mpearce@eastdevon.gov.uk by 16 September 2021.