'Marcolmbe' will still be built, despite setback

East Devon town rejected by government taskforce

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

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

But the supporters of the prospective new town have claimed it will still go ahead, in line with their vision for the conurbation.

“Marlcombe will still be happening,” 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 announcement.

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 pieces of infrastructure were completed.

With Marlcombe, the intention is to launch a development corporation that would be 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) about 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,” Cllr Olive said.

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

Cllr Olive stated that while he would “naturally be a cheerleader” for East Devon’s scheme, he genuinely felt it was the most progressed plan of any the government had considered.

“The evidence speaks for itself,” he said.

“Marlcombe is the most advanced of the 12 original proposals, it is the only one that has a mention in a local plan, which we will be adopting in around 18 months, it has the most advanced evidence case, and an outline business case that is being finalised this week.

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

Cllr Olive said 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 forthcoming from government 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 its announcement that Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Crewshill 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 prospective seven new towns, it also announced other initiatives.

It said the National Housing Bank would launch on 1 April, backed with up to £16 billion of financial capacity with an aim to deliver over 500,000 new homes. It is hoped the bank will unlock £53 billion of private investment.

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

In relation to Marlcombe and the other five New Town locations it did not progress – including Plymouth – the government said all were deemed “credible development opportunities and may continue to be supported through existing housing programmes”.

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

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