Attendees:
Melanie Sealey (Chair), Keir Duffin, Alison Hayward, Patrick Rafferty, Paul Britton, Fiona Jury, Ian Thompson, Mike Woodliff, Roger Clotworthy, Sarah Bowker, Kevin Mills, Sean Anstee, Matt Dodd.
Apologies:
Sarah Jane Mackenzie-Shapland, Neil Blaney, Leroy Venn, David Lang, Andrew
Collier, Richard Marsh, Chris Watts, Iain Masters, Ian Collinson, Sarah Ratnage,
Helen Bone, Mathew Chetwynd, Tim Child, Sarah Ogden, Linda Morgan, David
Carter, Zoe Lentell, David Bowcock, David Bartrum.
1. Minutes from the Previous Meeting
1.1 Minutes from the previous meeting agreed as an accurate record.
2. BLRF Bid Update – KD / PB
2.1 Brownfield Land Release fund is capital funding that is given to unlock unaffordable public sector brownfield sites for housing. This round is £20m nationally. ACTION: Keir and Paul to send prospective round when it’s published.
2.2 The funding will be for sites that are well advanced with a clear route through the planning system, schemes where you know the viability challenges, technical responses etc, only focus on the sites that you know can deliver.
2.3 OPE nationally have put forward a 3-year programme to central government and asked MHCLG whether it can be extended to other public sector owners e.g. Police, Fire, NHS – awaiting response on both elements.
2.4 Currently have 2 bids that OPE have signed off to go forward – Teignbridge and DCC development in Barnstaple.
2.5 Another prospective bid is Southwest Devon re: Rope Walk site in Kingsbridge – 12 affordable homes. ACTION: Need a decision from OPE to agree to put this scheme forward. This was agreed by the board.
3. Public Sector Co-location Update – KD
3.1 Current Focus / Opportunities:
3.1.1 Ilfracombe – Several sites have been identified, which could provide a dual hub strategy based on the plan that One Ilfracombe have. There are a good range of economic and social benefits for the hubs, which we can use to underpin a business case and a cost benefit assessment. There’s been a number of new policy announcements which seem to chime with this hub strategy e.g. NHS 10 year plan, family hubs etc.
3.1.2 Police – North Devon, and other sites
3.1.3 DCC Estate – North Devon and County Hall. County Hall knowledge exchange with Essex County Council, had the initial meeting and will continue to work together to share best practice.
3.1.4 NHS
3.1.5 Exeter and Torbay – DWP co-locations – both locations are looking for around 13 thousand square feet to move the job centre including front service and back office. In Exeter we’ve got an option to look at the library. DWP is reflected in the comprehensive spending review.
3.2 ACTION: Keir to arrange for Gorton in Manchester to attend the next meeting to discuss public sector hubs.
4. Introduction Matt Dodd Housing Lead CCA / current Housing position CCA – MD
4.1 The Housing Plan is currently being developed as an element of the Corporate Plan. There is a Housing Advisory Group that will feed into the CCA Board. The Housing Plan will address the recommendations that came from the Devon Housing Commission. Themes included there being enough houses built in Devon and Torbay, but not enough affordable housing and we’re not necessarily building the right homes in the right places. From this we have now worked closely with Homes England on a Housing Pipeline for Devon and Torbay, and they have identified areas where their investment could open up some opportunities.
4.2 CCA will build a housing intelligence function, we want to make sure that we make good use of the data.
4.3 Another key part of the CCA role is around stakeholder engagement, how do we work together in the Devon and Torbay area already and identifying the gaps. Strategic Housing Officer Group will be important for engagement.
4.4 CCA will move to a spatial development strategy on a sub-regional level, medium term goal. We’ll need to do this with the planning authority partners to meet the recommendation of more consistency in planning.
4.5 We’re in a good position across Devon and Torbay, have identified issues and opportunities and can now look at where investment is needed.
4.6 When the Housing Plan is signed off by the CCA Board and developed it will be shared with the OPE Board.
4.7 It’s positive that the connection between lack of housing and lack of workers in the Devon area was articulated in the Local Plan. Matt raised that there isn’t enough evidence regarding the economic constraints presented by a lack of housing, so if anyone does get that evidence then please do pass it on to Matt.
5. Any Other Business – All
5.1 No further topics of discussion raised.
Future Meeting Date:
Wednesday 22nd October 2025