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, Ian Hall, Sarah Jackson, or Andrew Moulding. Alternatively, you can make an appointment to speak to Axminster's Town Clerk, Miss Hilary Kirkcaldie (contact details above).