The Crediton Community Conversation on the Land Use Framework 

Boniface Centre Saturday 23 March 2024

After welcome greetings by Liz Brookes-Hocking, Dave Harris and Laura Conygham the guest speaker, Georgie Barber of the Food and Farming Countryside Commission introduced the Land Use Framework to the audience of
over fifty participants. 

She explained the tensions that currently exist when considering pieces of land - housing, food security, energy, recreation, transport, health and wellbeing to name a few!  All within the challenges of the climate and biodiversity crises.  Georgie stated that for the UK to overcome all the current (and future) needs our land mass needs to be larger - perhaps we could add two extra Wales to our shores?  As this is not possible there has to be a different way of looking at land use than the current system. Hence the new Land Use Framework was devised and piloted in Cambridgeshire and Devon - Crediton being one of the Devonshire areas. The framework stresses that decisions must be land-led and lead to effective, multi-functional and efficient use of available land and encourage a holistic, joined-up approach where all stakeholders are involved and all voices heard. So the scene was set where Crediton's voices are heard!

The morning was split into three topic areas: Place, People and Public Value.  

After inputs from Georgie on each area the audience split into facilitated groups and after discussions produced their ideas on flip chart sheets which were shared with the other participants. So many excellent ideas and ways of thinking were expressed. These included community-led social housing and sustainable housing (in energy and size), local power for local land planning, wildlife, biodiversity and health and well-being, community owned farm and parkland, links with education/rural and green skills to give just a flavour! Before we voted on our three personal priorities we were asked to close our eyes and imagine how things could be - not within the boundaries of what has been before, where people feel powerless, - but what could be: a very useful exercise for us all ...........

The ideas of the participants are going to be incorporated into plans produced by the Town Council. I like to think by having this very productive conversation we shall change the way of looking at land and our model could be adopted by other towns!
Thank you to all those involved in organising and assisting at the event: the Town Council and staff and the Climate Action Team (a branch of Sustainable Crediton).

For more information please email either the Town Council: reception@crediton.gov.uk
or Sustainable Crediton: info@sustainablecrediton.org.uk