How would you like to be part of something that decision makers will find difficult to ignore and that will make a real difference to our local area? Please read on, find out more, and become part of positive change.
Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) published their Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment in June this year. The assessment shows potential land that could be developed for new housing, employment and other uses over the next 15 years. Within Crediton much of the green space left within its parish boundaries, mostly south and west of Barnfield, has been included. Most of this land is owned by Devon County Council (DCC) in the form of Lower Parks Farm, and it seems clear that they wish to sell this for development. If you want to find out more, please see the website below.
We understand that DCC want this area to have planning permission for the development of 750 new homes. Already in 2026, they have passed a resolution to sell the land, appointed Planning Potential Limited (London based planning advisors) to support an outline planning application, and next month are looking to approve a compulsory purchase of more land in the area.
You may or may not be aware that the Climate Action Team of Sustainable Crediton and the Town Council have jointly held 4 community conversations at the Boniface Centre over the past 5 years. The first conversation was about what we, the local community, could do about the climate and nature emergencies. Many ideas came forward and when the most recent conversations took place over the past 2 years these ideas formed the basis of a community vision for the land south of Barnfield. At the end of this year’s event attendees were in broad agreement that the vision reflected the ideas that had been put forward in previous conversations.
The vision included items such as development parcels for the right homes in the right places for the right people, a country park, land set aside for nature recovery, leisure and active travel routes for walking and cycling, expanding and planting tree belts, a skate park, small workshop spaces for startup local businesses, places for rural skills education and an area for a market garden which can produce healthy food locally.
Here is the vision:
Another request that came out of the community conversations is that people want to form a community land trust which could take land, buildings etc into community ownership. In July this year the Crediton Area Community Land Trust (CACLT) was formed by a group of volunteers.
The values of CACLT are:
- Community ownership
- Respecting local needs
- Caring for the environment
- Considering future generations
- Pride in the Crediton area
- Community participation
- Encouraging local self sufficiency
Your call to action
One request we would ask of you all is to become members, pass the word on about CACLT, and get your friends and family to become members too. The more members we have the more powerful and difficult to ignore our voice will be.
Our Membership Policy
Application for Full Membership is open to:
- Any individual over the age of 18,
- Any corporate and un-corporate body active in the Crediton area, (represented by a nominated individual)
Members must support the objectives of the Trust and agree to be bound by its Rules.
Full Membership of CACLT requires the purchase of shares to the value of £20 (twenty pounds). You will then receive 1 voting share and 19 community investment shares.
All members will only have 1 voting share.
Whilst noting all the above, if you can afford to invest more, then we would be most grateful, and you would be enhancing the chances of significant positive change coming to the local community.
To become a member, send an email to saying who you are and how many shares you wish to purchase.