Have your say: Final consultation on East Devon’s new Local Plan

East Devon District Council is inviting residents, community groups, and stakeholders to take part in the final stage of consultation on the new East Devon Local Plan – the blueprint for where new homes, jobs and supporting infrastructure will go across the district over the coming years. 

East Devon District Council is inviting residents, community groups, and stakeholders to take part in the final stage of consultation on the new East Devon Local Plan – the blueprint for where new homes, jobs and supporting infrastructure will go across the district over the coming years. 

Following approval by the council’s Strategic Planning Committee on 25 November 2025, the further Regulation 19 consultation is now open and will run until 26 January 2026. 

This final stage gives people a last opportunity to comment on new evidence and updates before the plan is submitted to a government-appointed Planning Inspector for examination. 

What’s new  

The consultation includes: 

• The emerging masterplan for the new town of Marlcombe, setting out how the development will evolve. 

• Key new evidence documents including the Water Cycle Study and the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. 

• A number of minor changes to the Local Plan. 

This follows the earlier Regulation 19 consultation (which ran February-March 2025), where feedback from residents and stakeholders helped shape the current version of the plan. 

About the Local Plan 

The Local Plan guides where new homes, jobs and infrastructure will go in East Devon – while protecting the district’s outstanding coast, countryside, and heritage. 

Although housing numbers are set nationally, the council can decide where these new homes should be built. The proposed new town of Marlcombe, located between the A30 and A3052 and recently named following a public vote, has been identified to help meet housing needs in a sustainable way. 

The emerging Marlcombe masterplan sets out a vision for: 

• Provision for around 8,000 homes (up to 10,000), with a 40% affordable housing ambition, of which approximately 3,300 are allocated in this plan period. 

• Walkable neighbourhoods with green spaces and strong links to the Clyst Valley Regional Park. 

• Early delivery of schools, healthcare, shops, and community hubs through a dedicated delivery vehicle. 

• Sustainable travel choices – including walking, cycling, and public transport. 

• Close access to employment areas including sites in the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone, such as Skypark and Exeter Science Park. 

New evidence to review 

• The Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) ensures development is co-ordinated and supported by the right infrastructure, in the right place, at the right time. 

• The Water Cycle Study helps to identify impacts on drinking water supply, wastewater treatment capacity and environmental protection, enabling us to ensure capacity is in place before new developments come forward. While East Devon District Council is not the responsible authority, it continues to work with South West Water, and the Environment Agency, to find sustainable solutions. 

Councillor Todd Olive, Portfolio Holder Place, Infrastructure and Strategic Planning, said: “This is the final opportunity for residents and stakeholders to help shape the future of East Devon before the plan is submitted to an examination by government inspectors. The Local Plan is one of the most important documents we produce – setting out where development should happen and how we protect what makes our district special. 

“While comments are welcome on all the new evidence and changes that are part of this consultation, we are particularly interested in any feedback you might have on the detail of our proposals for Marlcombe. We have sought to take an innovative and infrastructure-first approach to planning East Devon’s second new community, and hope this is reflected in the evidence set out. 

“We’ve listened carefully throughout the process and made changes based on your feedback wherever we can. I’d encourage everyone to take a few minutes to look at the new evidence and have their say before the plan goes forward for examination.” 

Have your say 

Comments should focus on the new evidence and changes to the plan, as previous responses will still be considered and do not need to be repeated. 

Find out more and share your views.