About Axminster

Present Day

The town has all the facilities you would associate with a modern, thriving town; a leisure centre, swimming pool, public transport links, a Guildhall, two primary schools and a secondary, two supermarkets and a busy high street comprised of many independent shops, café’s, restaurants and businesses.

While Axminster is not covered by a National Landscape itself, it sits surrounded by three; East Devon, the Blackdown Hills and Dorset National Landscapes. It also sits just a stones throw from the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This makes Axminster a perfect base for those looking to explore nature.

Community commitment is strong in Axminster and many wonderful volunteers run organisations like Axminster Care Service, Pippins Community Centre, Nourish and ARC among numerous others. The Community Waffle House host an active VCSE forum which serves to support every member of the community by bringing these valuable organisations together.

Volunteers also support the town in other ways such as bringing vibrancy to the town centre through a variety of initiatives such as Axminster Banners and For The Love Of The Railway and charitable events such as the Cherry Fayre and Christmas Light switch on run by Light Up Axminster.

There are also some larger events that take place each year such as the Axe Vale Show, and Gate to Plate, as well as a street market every Thursday, all of which showcases the best of local produce, suppliers and traders.

Axminster has an active Chamber of Commerce and you can find out even more about Axminster from the What's In Axminster website - another volunteer lead initiative.

History and Background

Axminster is a bustling ancient market town in East Devon, with a population of just over 8,000 residents (2021 census). It is built on a hill, overlooking the River Axe, and benefits from direct links to both Exeter and London on the mainline rail network.

Whilst Axminster is best known for the longstanding brand of Axminster Carpets, and the more recent UK leading supplier of Axminster Power Tools, the town itself has a strategic position within east Devon as it also sits on the boundary of Somerset and Dorset.

The town dates back to the Celtic times of around 300 BC. The town centre is a protected Conservation area and has many historic buildings still remaining, including the George Hotel which originated as a coaching inn in 1760. Axminster was a key stopping place on the Trafalgar Way, which was the route for relating news of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Most well-known for its carpets, the original Axminster factory was opened in 1755 by Thomas Whitty and manufacturing still continues in the town by the world-renowned Axminster Carpets.

You can find out more about Axminster's rich history at Axminster Heritage Centre.

The Urban Extension of Axminster

As residents will be aware, a planned extension to the east of Axminster, incorporating some 650 new homes, employment land and ancillary services was planned to be delivered alongside a relief road. East Devon District Council applied for, and were successful in obtaining, a £10m grant from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) to put towards the building of the relief road, with the other £7m to be funded by the housing developers of the site. However, the rules regarding the spending of the HIF, overseen by Homes England, were changed, which meant the money changed from a 'grant' to a 'loan'. This altered the way in which the relief road could be funded, with the additional cost being borne either by East Devon DC or the developers.

East Devon District Council's Strategic Planning Committee met on 9 December 2019 to discuss the issue, and the outcome of that meeting can be read in the following report: EDDC Strategic Planning Committee HIF report. Should you wish to view the minutes of this committee meeting, please click here: Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee - 9 December 2019.

If you would like to discuss the content of these further, you can contact your East Devon District Councillors, Paul Hayward, Sarah Jackson, or Simon Smith. Alternatively, you can make an appointment to speak to Axminster's Town Clerk, Paul Hayward (contact details above).

The Future of Axminster

As one of the largest, low-density parishes, the challenges for our town are profound, with a need to balance the requirement to provide additional housing for our citizens, with the fact that our existing infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with the demands from our current population. The paradox presents the Town Council with both opportunities but also restrictions on how to help manage the future growth of the town, whilst safeguarding the natural environment, protecting and preserving our historic town centre and ensuring that everyone, whether they are an existing citizen, or someone looking to move to Axminster, has access to a range of services that can meet their day-to-day needs without the need for additional vehicle journeys - be that commuting to work, travelling to other shopping areas or taking their children to school.

Axminster Town Council are in the process of developing a Neighbourhood Plan, which should help East Devon District Council (the local planning authority) to understand how the residents of Axminster to grow, and what infrastructure would benefit its long term health and prosperity. This is a challenging piece of work in the face of changing national planning legislation, and because East Devon District Council are also in the process of writing a new 'Local Plan', neither of which the 'Axminster Neighbourhood Plan' can contradict.

To find out more about Neighbourhood Planning on our Neighbourhood Plan page

All in all, Axminster is a great place to live, work and for recreation nestled in the stunning backdrop of the East Devon countryside. We look forward to welcoming you!