A PUBLIC consultation for the next stage of the Culm Garden Village project is now open, says Mid Devon District Council.

Residents and businesses of Mid Devon are invited to have their say on the following two documents, which outline key aspects of the development proposals:

1 The Culm Garden Village Vision and Concept Document sets out a draft Vision and a number of key principles to guide development at the proposed new garden village, together with a Concept Plan which starts to add shape to ideas on how the garden village might look.

2 The Stage 1 draft East Cullompton Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document sets out a number of issues and opportunities based on an analysis of the site, brought together to inform some initial concepts for the masterplanning of the East Cullompton Local Plan Review allocation, which will form Phase 1 of the garden village.

Comments from the public in response to these documents can be submitted by completing online surveys available at: culmgardenvillage.co.uk/get-involved/ , or by attending one of the exhibitions being held in the Culm Valley area.  Comments from the consultation will be used to help set the Vision for the garden village and scope out a more detailed masterplan for Phase 1.

The consultation is taking place during a six-week period which began on January 18 and runs to March 1.

Permanent exhibitions will be set up at The Hayridge, Cullompton and Kentisbeare Village Hall during this time, with a series of staffed exhibitions throughout the consultation period:

Saturday, February 2, Kentisbeare Village Hall, 9.30am – 1.30pm; Monday, February 4, Cullompton Town Hall, 4pm – 8pm; Saturday February 9, Cullompton Town Hall, 9.30am – 1.30pm; Wednesday, February 13, The Hayridge, Cullompton, 10am – 2pm; Wednesday, February 13, Kentisbeare Village Hall, 4pm – 8pm; Tuesday, February 19, The Hayridge, Cullompton, 2pm – 6pm.

Councillor Richard Chesterton, Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration, emphasised the nature of this project being locally-led, stating that: “These draft documents are the result of working with the Council’s partner organisations and the local community to set a clear vision for the garden village and a number of principles to guide its future development, and to start to masterplan the first phase of the development.

"The public consultation is an opportunity for everyone to get involved and have their say on how the new garden community will be developed, including making suggestions as to its name.”