Marlcombe

Marlcombe was a proposed new town in Devon, England.^[1]^[2]

Toponymy

The name was chosen through a public consultation because it was an archaic name for the area, dating back to the 17th century.^[3] Alternative proposals included Newton Clyst, Willowcrest, and Clysthope.^[4]

History

Background

There has been a housing crisis in Devon for many years due to a lack of affordable housing.^[5]^[6] In 2010, planning permission was granted for the construction of the new eco-community of Cranbrook, which saw thousands of homes built throughout the 2010s.^[7]^[8] More development has occurred in East Devon throughout the 2020s.^[9]

Initial proposals

In 2021, the leader of East Devon District Council, Paul Arnott, said the council was looking to avoid creating new towns in East Devon.^[10] The proposal for the new town properly emerged in 2023.^[11] It was described as the new Cranbrook, another nearby new town.^[12] The name was decided by public vote.^[13] A community consultation on the proposed new town was carried out beforehand.^[14] The initial consultation saw 65% of respondents oppose the new town.^[15] East Devon District Council described it as "a self-sufficient and dynamic community with a distinctive character".^[16] The proposed site covered 500 hectares.^[17] In September 2024, two concept masterplans were made public.^[18]

Development

In September 2025, Marlcombe was named on a shortlist of 12 locations by the Labour government's New Towns Taskforce.^[19] In March 2026 the Housing minister did not include it in the final list of seven planned new towns.^[20]

The town would reportedly have been a standalone community rather than a commuter suburb of Exeter.^[21] This new town in East Devon, along with the new developments in Plymouth, would have accommodated up to 20,000 homes.^[22] Local authorities proposed a target of 40% affordable housing.^[23] The settlement would have reportedly include new community facilities and employment opportunities.^[24] The town would have been built along the banks of the River Clyst.^[25] Construction of the first homes was expected by the early 2030s.^[26] The new town would have had green spaces, health facilities, schools, and cycle routes with links to the nearby Clyst Valley Regional Park.^[27] The towns infrastructure may not have been provided by South West Water and would reportedly have needed multiple treatment plants.^[28] It would have had a new town centre, shops, leisure facilities, a cemetery, a park and ride, and gypsy pitches.^[29] Around 2,500 new homes had been expected by 2040.^[30] In March 2026, Marlcombe was not on a list of confirmed locations for new towns meaning the future of the project is uncertain.^[31]

Geography

The proposed town would be constructed between the A30 and A3052 roads, immediately south of Exeter Airport.^[32] It would border the Devon County Showground at Westpoint.^[33] Much of the land between the dual carriageways is currently used as farmland, while some parts of the site include ancient woodland.^[34]^[35] The town was to be located on land between the Crealy Theme Park & Resort and the nearby Hill Barton business park.^[13] Marlcombe was to be close to the villages of Clyst Honiton, Clyst St Mary, Farringdon, Sowton, and Westcott.