UPDATE: Levelling Up Fund bid now approved for completion of Dinan Way ring road, town centre improvements

The completion of the Dinan Way ring road around Exmouth and some improvements to the town centre are to be put forward as part of a Devon-wide programme to get nearly £100m of the government's 'Levelling Up Fund'.

Devon County Council's cabinet, when they met at County Hall in person on Wednesday morning, unanimously agreed with the recommendation to give approval for the council to work with the relevant district councils to submit bids to the Government's Levelling Up Fund.

The Government's Levelling Up Fund was announced at the 2020 Spending Review to support communities by regenerating town centres, enabling investment in cultural facilities, or upgrading local transport infrastructure.

The programme of schemes in Devon will each demonstrate a net gain in biodiversity, a reduction in carbon and air quality improvements.

What does this mean for Exmouth?

Working with East Devon District Council, a package bid including the Dinan Way extension will be submitted.

Dinan Way currently forms a partial ring road around Exmouth, but it lacks the final connection to the A376, and as a result, traffic from Dinan Way has to use unsuitable residential road.

Furthermore, goods vehicles accessing the Liverton Business Park, surrounding employment and retail area, and the road to Budleigh Salterton, have to travel through residential areas and past the school on the periphery of the town centre.

The Dinan Way extension proposals, which secured planning permission in 2017, will provide an improved pedestrian/cycle connection to the Exe Estuary multi-use trail and has potential for better bus services to Exeter.

This will form part of a wider bid covering Exmouth, with other proposals focusing on the regeneration of the town centre, including interventions utilising district-owned land to enhance the existing town centre assets which could include new mobility opportunities, better accessibility, wayfinding, and leisure and cultural attractions.