Rethink needed over Culm Garden Village name to build links with Cullompton

The Culm Garden Village will provide up to 5,000 new homes in the west of Cullompton across M5 Motorway

Councillors have called for a rethink over the name of the Culm Garden Village scheme.

The Culm Garden Village will provide up to 5,000 new homes in the west of Cullompton across M5 Motorway.

At Cullompton Town Council’s meeting on Thursday, November 14, Tina Maryan and Paul Brockway from Mid Devon District Council Project Team, gave a power-point presentation and explained that they were currently trying to create a masterplan to look at the ambitions for the area and consider where houses and facilities might be located.

The current proposal, included in the Mid Devon Local Plan, is for 1750 houses with another 850 in the off-plan period. There has been discussion about extending this, in the long term to up to 5,000 homes.

A consultation carried out January 2019, next step to look at the baseline analysis and identify a vision and concept to formulate a framework and delivery plan.

Councillors expressed concern that the name Culm Valley Garden Village and how it can be ensured that the new development becomes part of the existing settlement and not a stand-alone town.

Councillor Janet Johns said: “When is it going to stop being Culm Garden Village and become Cullompton Garden Village?  The longer it goes on being called that, the harder it’s going to be for it to be changed.

“My concern is if it’s got that name, or some other name which isn’t Cullompton, people who live on this side feel it is something different, nothing to do with us and not going to be integrated. We need to get across the message that it’s going to be all one town across as quickly as we can even if it may take 30 years to finish building it.”

Councillor Eileen Andrews backed Cllr Johns.

She said: “When we had the first workshop in Cullompton it was crowded. The meeting progressed very well, and everyone was interested.

“Then came a name, and we were put into separate groups, before coming together again. I proposed it be called Cullompton Garden Village and it had a seconder. It went to the vote, and I think I’m right in saying 98 per cent voted to call it that.

“I have been asking that question ever since. The last time I asked officially, I was told that it will be named, but not until it has progressed a little more. I’ve said over and over it must be part of Cullompton.”

Councillor Martin Smith added: “The name is the first thing you see, and if you see Cullompton, you’ll know it’s Cullompton. It is currently Culm Garden Village so if it could be changed, I think it would be beneficial as part of that integration.”

Ms Maryan responded saying that more work needed to be done before deciding on a final name.

She said: “ We did have a question in our first consultation about what it should be called, and there was a variety of different answers.

“We need to do a bit more work on that and maybe put it to a vote. We haven’t got as far as doing that yet, but there are lots of different suggestions and I think the top one was East Cullompton which is a bit boring.

“It’s a working title, so the Government knows what it is. That was the name that went in with the expression of interest and for funding bids. That’s why we’ve stuck with it for so long, it doesn’t mean to say it’ll end up being called that.

MDDC Cabinet member for planning and economic regeneration, Councillor Graeme Barnell said the point had been made ‘very strongly’.

“I think we can commit to raising this at the next meeting of the delivery board and discussing it there,” he said. “It’s a serious point; it’s not just a name; there is an issue about the wholeness of the community in what we call it.” 

Questions were also asked whether the forthcoming election would affect the scheme.

Mr Brockhurst responded saying it ‘probably wouldn’t’ as all parties recognise the need for houses and the initiative had cross-party support.

In response to a question about traffic management, it was explained that many options are being explored.

In response to a question about school provision, it was explained that the initial phase of 1750 houses would include a primary school if it were to expand to 4,000-5,000 homes, then a new secondary school will also be provided.

It was thought that the first occupation could be 2023 as there is an intention to get on with the development as quickly as possible.