THE town council are to consider whether to buy land in Brixington, originally earmarked as a safe walking route for school children and for recreation.

THE town council are to consider whether to buy land in Brixington, originally earmarked as a safe walking route for school children and for recreation.

But, at the first full town council meeting since the summer break, councillors said they had the option to buy the land, called Valley Parks, for �5 to protect it from development.

Originally, the strip was an agricultural path which linked St John’s Road through Withycombe Valley to Dinan Way.

The strip was part of a parcel of land that made up the old playing fields at the Hillcrest School, before it was closed.

Devon County Council passed the land to EDDC, and the route was identified in their planning blue print as an area that should be part of the new cycleway and a safer route to school.

The district council agenda reads: “…tentative enquiries have been made to purchase the land for this purpose…

“(But) given the economic climate, it is unlikely the council will be in a position to acquire and adopt the land in the short to medium term.”

It added that Exmouth Town Council should be given the chance to acquire the area of land as ‘open space’

At the town council last week, Cllr Steve Wragg said: “What I want is EDDC to live up to its commitments. Valley Parks is a long-term ambition and core strategy established in adopted policy to provide opportunities for walking and cycling in addition to protecting the landscape wildlife of this area. It is vital that EDDC deliver on its commitment to this scheme.”