Devon County Council has approved the sale of six more parcels of land and property as part of a wider effort to convert surplus assets into cash, with the authority aiming to raise up to £9 million by April next year.
Sites earmarked for disposal
At a meeting of the council's land and property committee on 22 July councillors agreed to add the following locations to its disposal programme:
- Land at Beech Farm, Ivybridge (previously identified for a new slip road onto the A38 at Lee Mill)
- Land at Ivybridge Rugby Club
- Torridgeside Link Centre
- Former Barnstaple Link Community Centre
- Part of the car park at Axminster Fire Station
- A building at the former Kenton Primary School
The decision to market these sites supplements a backlog of properties already declared surplus. So far in the current financial year the council has sold four sites, realising £785,000.
Why Beech Farm is notable
Land at Beech Farm in Ivybridge had previously been set aside as the potential location for the proposed Lee Mill slip road on the A38. Councillors were told the engineering and funding obstacles make that scheme undeliverable in its current form.
"The engineering and funding challenges mean the Lee Mill slip road scheme is not deliverable. There are significant concerns in relation to compliance with highway design standards and engineering constraints are difficult to overcome."
The committee also heard that Ivybridge Rugby Club has expressed interest in purchasing a parcel of council land to provide new facilities, including changing rooms. In Axminster, discussions are under way with Devon & Cornwall Police over a possible purchase of part of the fire station car park.
Financial picture
The council has outlined a stepped expectation of receipts. Sites already declared surplus are forecast to deliver between £6 million and £8 million, with the latest approvals intended to push total receipts toward £9 million by the end of the financial year.
| Category | Expected receipts |
|---|---|
| Sites already declared surplus (including Larkbeare House, Exeter) | £6m–£8m |
| Sales completed so far in current year | £785,000 |
| Target by April next year | Up to £9m |
The programme of disposals raises questions about the future provision of community facilities and the use of public land. The council has emphasised that each sale will follow the usual due-diligence, planning and statutory requirements. For local groups interested in acquiring land — such as Ivybridge Rugby Club — the committee papers suggest the authority is willing to consider community uses where feasible.
Members will continue to review the disposal list and report further sales as transactions complete.
