Devon

With Devon’s Snow Wardens prepared to spring into action this weekend, they will also be marking the 10th anniversary of the volunteer scheme this year.

The scheme has gone from strength to strength since it was launched by Devon County Council in 2011 , and around 325 towns and parishes in the county currently have snow wardens.

In the event of a prolonged cold spell, the volunteers grit their priority roads and clear snow as part of their community’s self-help plans. Among the first snow wardens to sign up were the parishes of Dunkeswell, Rattery and Uplyme, and 10...

Dartmoor has become a draw for thousands seeking outdoors spaces for their health and well-being during the pandemic, with the much-loved iconic Dartmoor pony a huge draw. But a leading charity has warned their future is at risk unless additional funding is found.

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT) is a charity which works to protect the future of true Dartmoor ponies in their natural, native environment. It carries out important conservation projects within 450 hectares holding it manages at Bellever, in the heart of Dartmoor, an area very popular with visitors, where a...

Devon is preparing for the possibility of widespread snow showers on Sunday morning (24 January).

Gritters will be carrying out multiple treatments overnight tonight as freezing temperatures and the risk of icy conditions and wintry showers continue into the weekend.

The County Council’s teams will be treating around 2,000 miles of roads on Devon’s primary and secondary salting network from around 7am tomorrow morning, ahead of a band of snow which is forecast to bring around 5cm of snow from the early hours of Sunday.

Road surface temperatures will again be low...

This week, work has started on road improvements for enhanced access at Exeter Airport via Long Lane.

The new access will help to boost economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, support new employment and provide opportunities for clean and inclusive growth.

The enhancements to Long Lane will unlock development of the new 19 acre AirPark site in the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone which is expected to create around 1,000 jobs.

Valued at £3.7 million, the scheme will also facilitate a bus loop and cycleway, substantially improving access to the new...

Latest figures show that more new businesses were established in Devon during 2020 than in any previous year – hitting a new record high for the third year in a row.

Despite the considerable economic challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic, 7,174 new companies were registered in the county compared to 6,196 during 2019, representing an increase of 15.8%.

This brings the total number of registered companies in Devon to 57,278, up from 53,264 at the end of 2019, which equates to 7.5% growth.

The statistics are taken from the Inform Direct Review of Company...

Small to medium-sized (SME) manufacturers in Devon are being encouraged to have their say on trading beyond Brexit as part of the latest Manufacturing Barometer.

Organised by SWMAS (The South West Manufacturing Advisory Service) and the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), the country’s largest survey of its kind is looking to find out how companies are coping with the early months of life after leaving the EU and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The findings will be used to inform future Government policy and support, so input from as many SME manufacturers...

Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (NDHT) and the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust (RD&E) have received the go-ahead from NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) to continue working on plans to formally join together.

In November 2020, both Boards approved a ‘Strategic Case’ which sets out how the Trusts propose to become a single integrated organisation and submitted it to NHSEI for review. This formal document signalled the organisations’ intent to join together and set out the benefits this would provide for patients, staff and local communities.

The...

More than 90 per cent of Devon residents say they aim to buy an electric vehicle (EV) according to a new survey of more than 1700 people.

And a third said they aimed to replace their petrol or diesel car for an EV within five years, and had seen an EV that they intended to buy.

Only six per cent of respondents said that they would ‘never’ buy an EV.

The survey, on attitudes to EVs, was commissioned by Devon County Council (DCC) to help gauge potential demand and locations for charge-points.

The government says new cars and vans powered by petrol or...

“Hope is on the horizon but for now, please stay home as much as you can and be extra careful when you need to go out”, says Steve Brown, Devon’s Director of Public Health.

“The steep rise in Covid cases we have seen since Christmas now looks like it’s beginning to level off in Devon and our numbers are stabilising,” he says.

“That is down to each and every person sticking to the spirit of the lockdown rules as much as they can to break the chain of transmission.

“Most people across Devon have responded really well yet again and I can only thank and applaud them...

Work is progressing to build 380 new homes at Pinhoe Quarry, Exeter.

The South West’s largest housing provider, LiveWest and leading partnerships business, Vistry Partnerships, have joined forces once again to develop a scheme for the 32-acre site, building on their collaborative portfolio of new homes across the South West.

It is hoped the first homes will be ready to move into during autumn this year.

The development has been named Harrington Park, nodding to the well-known area of the suburb and the design, which incorporates open green space, play areas and...