Devon Community Hub Receives £1.9m Government Funding

Construction of a community hub in Devon is slated to proceed following a £1.9 million financial injection from the government. According to East Devon District Council, the concept for the hub, located in Cranbrook, close to Exeter, was initially proposed “a decade ago” with the objective of consolidating community and commercial facilities within a single structure. This financial support originates from a broader £16 million government fund, allocated as part of the initiative to devolve services from central government to Devon County Council and Torbay Council. The council further stated that the hub, to be named Cranbox, is anticipated to be situated north of Cranbrook high street, with the potential use of shipping containers in its construction. Separately, Morrisons confirmed its opening on 12 December, marking it as the inaugural supermarket in the new town. Naomi Harnett, Corporate lead for major projects, informed the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We’ve been really trying to move the delivery of the town centre forward for many years, and this project was first identified a decade ago. We are now in a happy place where the supermarket is soon to be completed and some town centre shops have opened with more coming soon. We’re hoping to deliver Cranbox in 2025.”