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Yarcombe and Marsh Parish Plan

Yarcombe & Marsh Parish Plan

2004

 Please click here to download the Yarcombe & Marsh Action Plan (27KB - 20 January 2005 - PDF Help)

 Please click here to download the Yarcombe & Marsh Statement of Consultation (56KB - 20 January 2005 - PDF Help)

The quicklinks below go straight to the relevant issues within the full text.

Background
Parish Profile – An Historical Perspective
The Parish In 2003
Housing
Environment
Community Life
Transport and Highways
Local Economy and Employment
Children and Young People
Conclusion

BACKGROUND

Why did we decide to produce a Parish Plan?

The Parish Council was advised by the local District Council in the autumn of 2002, of the requirement placed on the local planning authority, East Devon District Council, to prepare a revised Local Plan setting out land use policies to guide development, aid decision making on planning applications and manage change across the entire District.”

At the same time the District Council announced that it also had a duty to prepare a Community Strategy” to promote and improve the economic, social and environmental well being of their area.

A Community Strategy” is to be prepared by the Local Authority through a local strategic partnership involving members of other local authorities and public bodies as well as from commercial and voluntary organisations from all spheres of activity.

The Parish Council recognised the importance of ensuring that it could feed into the proposed Community Strategy the clearest possible statement of local needs and, therefore, decided that it would be sensible to produce a Parish Plan based on a series of public involvement and consultations exercises.

The scope of the plan was to reflect that proposed for the local authority Community Strategy and was to include an action plan showing how and when identified needs might be met and indicating possible partners who might help the parish to achieve its objectives from an economic, social and environmental point of view.  At the same time The Parish Plan would also include a section of village design with a view to asking the Local Authority to consider adopting Supplementary Planning Guidance for the parish.

It is clear that the production of a parish plan is a way of ensuring that there is a clear blueprint for the future and that a clear statement of local needs should enable us to co-ordinate and apply our resources in the most effective and efficient way possible.

How was the plan produced?

^{Public Consultation and Exhibition}

A steering group of local people was identified representing all sections of the community.  In December 2002 one of this group was designated as co-ordinator.  A successful application for grant aid was made to the Countryside Agency under its Vital Villages” scheme and a project action plan and timetable was agreed by the steering group.

Subsequently the services of the Community Council of Devon and Devon Play were engaged to advise on and to provide professional support for two major public consultation events where local people identified those issues that were most important to them and what they would like to see happen about these issues in the next few years.

Following on from the community involvement events, Devon County Councils’ Corporate Information Service Department was engaged to work with the steering group to design and produce a detailed questionnaire, which was then distributed to every household in the parish during March 2003.

The response rate was just over 94%, so we can be confident that the results of the questionnaire, itself based on the results of the community consultation exercises, offers a fair reflection of local views and priorities.

^{Consultation in Action}

A statistical analysis of the results of the detailed questionnaire, which was carried out in March 2003, was provided by the County Council who offered advice on and agreed the interpretation produced by the steering group.  A detailed report of the results of the survey was then sent to every household and a public presentation and discussion about the report took place at the Annual Parish Meeting held on 22 May 2003.  At this meeting it was agreed that the Parish Council would draw up an action plan to be incorporated into the Parish Plan.  The purpose of, and the process for producing, the final Parish Plan were also explained.

Action Following the Survey

What follows is a summary of the views, needs and priorities expressed by local residents about key issues which they feel to be important to the future of their community with regard to social, economic and environmental matters.  The detail of the appraisal report is not repeated here, but can be read in conjunction with this report for more detailed information.

The Action Plan was produced by the Parish Council in consultation with the Steering Group, and shows how action will be co-ordinated to achieve local needs.  The plan was drawn up to take full account of the responses obtained from the household survey and the recommendations put forward by the steering group.  It is recognised that not everything can be done at once, given the limitations the parish has in terms of resources and labour.

Arrangements for monitoring progress on the Action Plan

Regular reports will be made to the Parish Council at its bi-monthly meetings and an annual report on progress on the Action Plan will take place at the Annual Parish Meeting in May, with a named person dealing with each major issue.

^{The Baptist Chapel, Yarcombe}

The Action Plan is seen as a flexible document, so that appropriate changes can be made from time to time to reflect any change in local needs.  This will make the most of opportunities that may arise, which might improve the quality of life for those who live and/or work in the parish.

We hope that by making wishes and intentions clear, others will share our aspirations for the parish and help us to pursue and achieve our objectives.

PARISH PROFILE – AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Nestling on the edges of the Blackdown Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are the villages of Yarcombe and Marsh which, together with the surrounding gently rolling farmland, make up the parish.  There have long been communities on these sites, which are close to the Iron Age forts at Howley, Membury and Stockland, the neighbouring parishes.   Abundant evidence remains of iron smelting and the present day landscape still bears traces of quarrying for iron ore.  This industry may have been continued even in Roman times.

During the reign of William the Conqueror, the parish was enlarged to the north to include the manor of Doniton or Denniton, all of which is listed in the Doomsday Book.  The parish came under the jurisdiction of St Michael in Perculio, Normandy, with the priory at Otterton acting as agents between the parish and St Michael’s.

The wealth of Yarcombe and Marsh has always depended to a large extent on agriculture and woodland.  Records of the Lay Subsidy of 1332, which taxed the residents on animals and crops, show the names and landowners, descendants of whom can still be found on local farms today.

^{Sheafhayne Manor}

After the commencement of hostilities against France and Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries between 1536-1539, the parish became the property of the Crown.  The parish’s long association with the Drake family, which still continues today, began in the reign of Elizabeth I.  Sir Francis Drake, the renowned circumnavigator purchased the Crown Estate to complement his other estates within the parish.  The main Drake residence was at Buckland Abbey but letters from the stewards of the Drake family show that many visits to their estates and a keen interest in the parish were shown by the family.  During the 18^th century the Drakes increased their local landholdings and owned nearly all of the land in the area.

In the 19^th century the two villages thrived under their administration and in 1881, through the partnership between the Drakes and the church, funds were provided to build a school in the village of Yarcombe and later a cottage on the outskirts of Marsh was converted to provide more convenient schooling for the children of that village.

At this time the parish was largely self-sufficient so that most commodities and services were available without the need to travel to a town.  Marsh benefited from the regular arrival of horse drawn coaches travelling between London and Exeter.  The Heathfield Arms was a hive of activity supplying fresh horses, accommodation, food, and of course, drink.  Yarcombe also became a coach route and the village industries gained access to more customers from outside the area.

Agriculture and its associated industries still remains the lifeblood of the parish.  The Drake family estate has diminished in size, due to property having to be sold in the 1930’s to meet death duties, but it still retains a large acreage of land in the parish.  Of all the estates that the great Sir Francis Drake owned, Yarcombe is the only one that still remains in the family.  The farms that were sold by the estate were mostly purchased by the sitting tenants and have since been handed down from father to son.

Today the organisations and events taking place in the villages reflect the changing country scene.  No longer is there the old self-sufficiency, people’s expectations are high, movement greater and although the farming families remain constant, the village centres of Marsh and Yarcombe contain an interesting blend of newcomers and old established families.

Newcomers soon discover that if they are willing to give of their time and energy, they are cordially welcomed by those whose ancestors have lived in the parish for generations and they are quickly drawn into the bustling round of social and more official duties which make up the fabric of a friendly and forward looking community.

THE PARISH IN 2003

At the last census in 2001, the total population was 481.  The survey carried out in March 2003 shows that 64% of the population live outside the two main settlements of Yarcombe and Marsh.

The current needs and priorities to today’s population has been clearly expressed through the detailed questionnaire survey and through public involvement and consultation events.  What follows is a brief overview of the main issues that arose during the process.

HOUSING

The community is almost equally divided as to whether or not more housing development is needed in the parish.  Of those who support the need for an increase, most felt that there should be no more than ten new homes over the next ten years although 38 people have stated that they or someone in their family would need alternative accommodation in the parish in the same period.  The majority of these people were interested in starter homes to buy or rent.

There is general agreement that there is a need to maintain diversity within the housing stock available and in a way that not only meets local need, but which also complements the environment and respects the historical and natural development of the parish.

^{Drakes Meadow}

The last major development of housing in the parish took place in Yarcombe between the late 1980’s and 1996 at Drakes Meadow when 19 new homes were provided.  Just over 50% were much needed affordable or low cost housing and the rest were 3 and 4 bedroom executive style” houses.  Subsequently there has been some criticism about the architectural merit of this development, but it is generally agreed that there have been many benefits to the parish as a whole.  One advantage has been that there has been some diversification in employment within the parish.  Another bonus has been that the combination of traditional skills and ideas together with those brought in by new arrivals has helped to both sustain and improve community activities as well as local facilities and services.

Given the criticisms of the design and layout of the Drakes Meadow development and the ongoing changes in government housing policy and strategy, local people feel that it was essential that Village Design Statements be produced for the settlements at Yarcombe and Marsh.  These documents have been approved by East Devon District Council thus securing supplementary planning guidance for the villages within the Local Plan so ensuring that there are clearer and stronger controls over any future development.  Accordingly design statements for both villages are included in the Parish Plan.  Furthermore, a more detailed description of the impact of development on the landscape is included in the Village Design Statement.  

ENVIRONMENT

The Parish lies entirely within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its open countryside, landscape and views are especially important to those who live here.  The impact of farms and farm livestock is, generally speaking, felt to make an important and welcome impact on the visual quality of the environment.

^{Typical Landscape}

There is strong support for the protection of stone walls, banks and hedgerows, ancient copses and woodlands.  As far as the built environment is concerned, there are many dwellings within the parish that have historic, architectural or social significance and residents would like to ensure that the design of any new buildings complement the character of these as far as possible.

There is widespread concern about the negative impact of mobile phone masts in the parish and the possibility that more might be installed.  Similarly it is strongly felt that, ideally, all overhead wires should be replaced with underground cables and that nothing should be done to increase the general levels of light pollution in the area.

Whilst most people are happy with the maintenance and signage of paths on the Public rights of Way Network the questionnaire survey produced useful information and ideas about how things might be improved and a number of new volunteers came forward to offer their help to the P3 (Parish Paths Partnership) Co-ordinators who are already very active in their work.

The Parish appreciates that whilst landscape must evolve, the richness and diversity of today’s landscape must be preserved for future generations.  We will, therefore, do all in our power to protect the environment and promote an understanding of every facet of it, along with the interaction of every part with the whole.

The introduction by East Devon District Council, some two years ago, of a limited fortnightly recycling collection of glass, paper, magazines and tins has been most welcome and many residents operate composting bins and collect and re-use rainwater.

COMMUNITY LIFE

^{Community Party}

The parish boasts an impressive range of local organisations offering a real variety of activities and events.  They include the following:  The Singing Kids of Yarcombe, Yarcombe Melody Makers, Yarcombe Amenities Club, Skittles Leagues, Whilst Drives, Women’s Institute,  Mothers Union, Yarcombe Children’s Fund, Young Farmers, Royal British Legion.  Moreover, in 2002, daytime computer courses for adults were organised in the Jubilee Hall and these provided very popular.

Every year on the first weekend in August there are two major special events: the Yarcombe Terrier Races, attended by well over 1,000 people, and the Yarcombe Flower Show.  On the first Saturday of every month a local market is held in the Jubilee Hall where a wide variety of fund raising stalls are provided, as well as those offering local farm produce and local crafts.  Musical shows, pantomimes, concerts and demonstrations are put on regularly by local people for local people.

These events provide an outlet for all sorts of local skills and talents and are always well attended whether or not they are aimed at fundraising for local projects.

New ideas for activities were put forward in the survey and these will be investigated as part of the Action Plan which is included in this document.

The community Post Office in Yarcombe is a vital local service and there are visits by a mobile library service to Marsh and Yarcombe on alternative Wednesdays.

As one would expect, residents living in the broader reaches of the parish look to facilities provided in the villages for community and leisure activities, social gatherings and services.  A small number of buildings in the parish provide a base for all community activity and their continuation is seen to be essential.   Both villages have a local Inn and Yarcombe has the Parish Church, Baptist Church, and the Jubilee Hall.

The Jubilee Hall is a community centre and was seen as very important, or important by more than 80% of the survey respondents.  It was funded and built in the 1940’s entirely by self-help.  Such a project would probably not be possible now given the great cost of modern buildings and the extensive regulations and controls introduced into the construction industry over the last sixty years.  There is however, no other flexible indoor space in the parish and our sense of community and high level of community interaction and social activity would be greatly diminished if the hall were no longer available.

TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

In common with many rural communities, residents are mainly reliant on the availability of private, rather than public, transport for travelling to work, shopping, leisure and other purposes.  Car sharing is a feature of local life, but even so, a small number of people who do not own a car, particularly older residents, still value the weekly bus service to Honiton.  The subsidised Fare Car” scheme is helpful for the same group and indeed to younger people wanting to travel to leisure and social facilities in nearby towns.

Whilst Devon County Council Highways department and the Devon and Cornwall police have introduced a number of initiatives to counter local concerns about road safety and particularly, the danger posed by speeding vehicles, the questionnaire survey shows that residents are still very concerned about a number of danger spots” and particularly the junction of the A30 with the A303, the Stopgate junction on the A303 and the junction at Four Elms leading onto the A30.  The Parish Council will continue to liase with the County Council and the Police over these matters.

In common with many other communities, there is a wish for better standards of road maintenance and the Parish Council will continue to seek the assistance of the County Council to improve the situation.

^{A30 to Yarcombe}

There is also a need to reinstate the proper maintenance of ditches and culverts next to highways and paths to avert flooding problems that affect not only paths and roads, but occasionally other land and property.  The close co-operation of the highway authority and of local landowners will be essential in finding a solution.

Finally, there is major concern in all parts of the parish about the outstanding decision of the DFT on the future potential dualling of the A303 between Ilminster and Honiton.

LOCAL ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT

The annually produced Parish Information leaflet gives an indication of the range of businesses, excluding farms, which make up the employment base:-

Accommodation & Food12
Agricultural Services  7
Building Services  4
Motor Services  6
Other Businesses12

The other business section includes rural crafts, crafted furniture, TV/video repairs, farm toys, chair caning, soft furnishings, ironing and pet sitting, flowers and floral decorations.

At the time of the survey in May of this year, 61% of all residents were employed in some way, 11% were in full-time education and 18% were retired.

Half of all local businesses are involved in agriculture, forestry and related industries.  The recent trials and tribulations that have been encountered by farmers, together with the ongoing, radical changes within the industry and the subsequent pressure on farmers to diversify, are things which all residents are aware of, but about which they feel powerless to act beyond buying locally produced food and supporting farmers markets.

There is a local shop at the Stopgate Garage on the A303 and this is well supported and most welcome.  There are also some mobile shopping services that visit the parish on a regular basis.

As mentioned in the Community Life section, the monthly market held in the Jubilee Hall provides an outlet for some locally produced farm produce and craftwork.  Notwithstanding the existence of these local shopping services the majority of people now rely on supermarkets in Chard, Honiton and Taunton for most of their shopping needs.

Tourism does play an important part in the local economy but this is largely focused on the accommodation sector.  The quality of the landscape and the good level of public access to the countryside encourages interest from walkers.  Whilst a number of minor initiatives to boost tourism may be possible, it is doubtful that tourism development will create or sustain significantly more jobs than it does now.

One interesting fact arising from the survey was the 233 people own a computer and that 54% of them use it in connection with their work.  This is perhaps an area where the employment base in the parish could be widened and strengthened.  It is clear that the lack of an Internet Broadband service in the parish is preventing a number of local people from either starting up a new business or improving the efficiency of an existing one.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

During the public consultations about the Parish Plan, a workshop for children and young people was held to try to establish what those aged 5-14 felt would improve their quality of life.  Whilst the number of children attending was small at only 9, their comments were interesting and important and many of their views were supported by those aged 11 years to 16 years in their responses to the questionnaire.

The tennis court and the village hall are the two places to meet and play together.  Tennis, children’s parties trips and Singing Kids of Yarcombe activities already take place in these two recreational spaces there is no specific play space for very young children or for things that would interest older children such as a skate park or off road bike” course.

The Devon Play report said that Whilst the children appreciated the many features of the natural environment including local woods and streams, a fun and interesting meeting and play point was something they said they would like to see.”

A major stumbling block to making progress on the ideas for outdoor facilities is the fundamental lack of community open space within the village of Yarcombe and there is no agreed open space in Marsh.  With regard to the interest shown in having more indoor activities centred on the Jubilee Hall this may offer some opportunities but before this can be done a more complete evaluation of what is wanted and what can realistically be offered would need to be carried out.

CONCLUSION

The Parish Council has considered the detailed results and recommendations of the questionnaire survey and the comments made by residents at a number of public involvement and consultation meetings.  This information has been used to draw up the action plan that now follows with the objective of making the best possible use of the information gathered by the parish plan steering group and helpers over many hundreds of hours.

As stated earlier the Action Plan will be monitored and changed from time to time when it is appropriate.

We trust that our report will usefully inform those being produced by local authorities and other organisations such as The Blackdown Hills Rural Partnership so that we can work together on commonly agreed goals to make our parish a good place to live and work and one which is also helping these other bodies to achieve their own aims and objectives through their Community Plans.

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Page last updated on 25 May 2012