Plans for a major new employment site on land north of Sowton Village have been formally submitted, with developers promising more than 1,000 jobs and significant investment just off the A30 near junction 29 of the M5.
The outline application, lodged on behalf of Waddeton Park Ltd, seeks permission for up to 28,300 square metres of commercial floorspace across a 19.3-hectare site at Venn Farm. All matters are reserved except for access.
According to the Planning Statement prepared by Greenslade Taylor Hunt, the proposal is for “the proposed commercial development of land north of Sowton” . The development would comprise a mix of B2 (general industrial), B8 (storage and distribution) and E(g) (office and ancillary) uses, with the potential for supporting facilities such as “indoor sports and recreation, café or crèche”.
The site lies immediately south of the A30, close to junction 29 of the M5, and around 200 metres south of Exeter Science Park. It currently consists of four agricultural fields totalling approximately 19.30 hectares. The land is wholly within Flood Zone 1, identified as the lowest risk of coastal and fluvial flooding .
Developers propose a new vehicular access from Sowton Lane at the eastern end of the site. The Design and Access Statement confirms a “singular point of vehicular access from Sowton Lane, with associated road widening to accommodate traffic movements” . A new priority junction would be constructed, alongside off-carriageway cycle infrastructure and a segregated footway and cycleway along Sowton Lane . Improvements are also proposed at the Honiton Road junction, including a signalised arrangement and enhanced pedestrian and cycle crossings.
In total, around 10.09 hectares of the site would form the built development area, with the remaining 9.21 hectares allocated to formal and informal open space, drainage and infrastructure . Existing boundary hedgerows would be retained “as far as possible” and attenuation features are proposed in the southern part of the site . Provision is also made for biodiversity net gain and ecological buffers, including a tree belt to create a buffer to Sowton village.
The public right of way along the southern edge of the site would remain in place and “will not need to be diverted or obstructed as a result of the proposed development.”
An Environmental Impact Assessment screening opinion issued on 17 September 2024 confirmed the scheme constitutes EIA development and must be accompanied by an Environmental Statement . The council issued a subsequent scoping opinion in October 2024 setting out the required chapters .
The Economic Impact Assessment states that the development will deliver 28,300 sq m of commercial floorspace . During construction, the project is expected to create “an estimated 300 person-years of employment” . Once operational, it is projected to support “an estimated 1,040 jobs on site” , with the potential to generate around £29 million of Gross Value Added to the East Devon economy annually.
The Framework Travel Plan states that the overarching vision is “to provide new, high quality employment land at the site, which will form a key part of the wider development strategy for the area” . It also highlights that the scheme would help realise elements of the Clyst Valley Trail and wider cycling infrastructure earlier than might otherwise be delivered.
The site was previously identified in the Regulation 18 East Devon Local Plan draft as a potential mixed-use business park location, although a subsequent Site Selection Report concluded it should not be allocated for employment development.
In planning policy terms, the application argues that significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, in line with the National Planning Policy Framework . The submitted Planning Statement concludes that the proposals “constitute a sustainable form of development.”
East Devon District Council will now consider the application, alongside the accompanying Environmental Statement and technical reports, before determining whether to grant outline permission. Public consultation and statutory consultation responses will form part of that process before a final decision is made.
