East Devon town faces yet another delay

Community hub in Cranbrook has suffered delays

A much-awaited community hub in Devon’s newest town is facing more delays after a hold-up linked to its forthcoming community hub.

The so-called Cranbox Project, which will comprise a two-storey modular development with commercial and community spaces included, is seen as a key part of the ongoing development of Cranbrook’s town centre.

But a new delay has been revealed due to issues over a transfer of land required to progress the project.

Members of East Devon’s asset management forum were told that the Cranbox project had “experienced delays” because the transfer of land to the council had “not yet been completed”.

“The Cranbox scheme has faced delays due to the land transfer being slow but we are hopeful that due to ongoing work this will be transferred in February, and completion of the building is anticipated in autumn of this year,” said Naomi Harnett, an officer involved in placemaking and major projects.

In 2024, the project secured a £1.9 million grant from the Devon and Torbay combined county authority, the entity that has had some powers devolved to it from central government.

Conditions on the cash meant it had to be spent by March this year, but that deadline has now been extended to allow the project to go ahead.

Councillor Geoff Jung (Liberal Democrat, Woodbury & Lympstone) asked whether the rest of the preparatory work had been done while the delay over the land transfer had been ongoing.

Ms Hartnett told the committee that a planning application had already been submitted and hoped for approval potentially as early as this month, and that an autumn completion was now being targeted.

In 2024, the council said it was hoping to deliver Cranbox in 2025, but that deadline has now been and gone.

The scheme will be a much-welcomed addition to Cranbrook given the town has waited years longer than planned for amenities and services.

Its first supermarket opened at the end of 2024, and Cranbox is now only nearing  progress on the ground a decade after it was conceived in 2014.