The Exe Valley Plan area comprises twenty-five parishes including Tiverton. It covers an area of some 38,812 hectares (c. 96,000 acres). Of the population of 35,924, 15,856 live in the rural parts of the Exe Valley. Tiverton parish is large (7,149 hectares), and includes the villages of Bolham, Cove, Chettiscombe and Chevithorne to the north, and Withleigh to the west. New developments in Tiverton now stretch north to the edge of Bolham, close to Chettiscombe and Chevithorne, and west towards Withleigh and Washfield to the west. The town boundary encompasses the settlement of Post Hill to the east.

The following report from the parishes is based on a questionnaire sent to parishes within the Exe Valley area of Mid Devon District in summer 2006, and on the Parish Plans published by Burlescombe, Halberton, Oakford and Stoodleigh. It should be noted that the mapping in this report shows the parish of Rackenford (North Devon), which opted into the Exe Valley Plan, outside the boundary area. The issues faced by Rackenford are similar to
those faced by parishes to the west of Tiverton and Bampton such as Cruwys Morchard, and relate to the isolated position of the settlement and the difficulties of maintaining services for a small sparsely populated area. Rackenford joined the Exe Valley Plan area principally because it lies within the Tiverton Learning Community area.

Twenty-three questionnaires were sent out to the chairpersons of the rural parish councils. Loxbeare does not have an elected Parish Council at the time of writing but the author had a lengthy conversation with the one person who stood at the last election. Fourteen questionnaires have been returned with a good geographical
coverage. Gaps in these returns were in some cases filled by Parish Plan information.

Physical factors

The Exe Valley Plan area is predominantly hilly, incised by the River Exe and its tributaries. Some of these valleys are very steep sided, and whilst attractive they mean that roads can be tortuous, increasing relative travel times. The land in the far south of the area and that to the east and south-east of Tiverton is flatter and has the highest density of population (see Figure 7). The main road system is cruciform in shape, with an east west corridor from Witheridge and South Molton in the west to the M5 and Cullompton in the east. This can clearly seen in
Figure10,Busroutesonp.54.

The area receives some 1,250 mm. of rain (49inches) every year. A great deal of this finds its way into the Exe leaving us at Thorverton. If this water all had to be moved by lorry we would need some 48 million 10 tonne trucks every year! Quite how Global Warming will affect us remains to be seen but vineyards are flourishing
in the Exe Valley.