Population change and growth in Devon increase the requirement for housing and employment land, and other changes to the local infrastructure to accommodate population growth and economic development. Local Development Frameworks produced by local authority districts allocate housing and employment land over the next 15 to 20 years. Table 3.5 reveals that across Devon over 58,000 dwellings and over 350 hectares of employment land are planned. The greatest planned increases in dwellings are seen in East Devon, where around 16,000 new dwellings are planned representing a quarter of existing housing stock in the district. Considerable expansion of employment land is planned in the Exeter, East Devon and Teignbridge areas connected to ongoing economic growth in the Exeter and Heart of Devon economic area, and in North Devon. Table 3.6 sets out any current housing allocations containing 1,000 or more dwellings. The continued expansion of the new town of Cranbrook, when added to the existing population suggests the population will be similar to Barnstaple in 10 to 20 years’ time (20,000). Around 5,500 dwellings are planned for the new community of Sherford in the South Hams. Other sizeable allocations relate to the expansion of Exeter, centred around five major development sites on the outskirts of the city, and the expansion of towns including Cullompton, Newton Abbot, Tiverton, Axminster and Exmouth.
Table 3.5, Current Planning Allocations for Housing and Employment by District, Devon
| District | Dwellings (2015) | Planned Dwellings (n) | Planned Dwellings as % of existing dwellings | Planned Employment Land (hectares) |
| East Devon | 66,620 | 15,993 | 24.0% | 107.9 |
| Exeter | 52,830 | 6,283 | 11.9% | 44.5 |
| Mid Devon | 35,210 | 7,206 | 20.5% | 12.2 |
| North Devon | 45,680 | 5,505 | 12.1% | 47.4 |
| South Hams | 44,110 | 7,925 | 18.0% | 33.9 |
| Teignbridge | 60,050 | 9,170 | 15.3% | 61.4 |
| Torridge | 31,720 | 5,160 | 16.3% | 36.5 |
| West Devon | 25,060 | 1,540 | 6.1% | 13.0 |
| Devon | 361,280 | 58,782 | 16.3% | 356.8 |
Source: Department for Communities and Local Government Dwelling Stock Tables and Devon County Council Planning, Transportation and Environment Team, 2016
Table 3.6, Current Planning Allocations for Housing with 1,000 or more dwellings, Devon
| Allocated Site | District | Residential Dwellings |
| Cranbrook | East Devon | 7,369 |
| Sherford New Community | South Hams | 5,500 |
| Monkerton/Hill Barton | Exeter | 2,500 |
| Newcourt | Exeter | 2,300 |
| East Cullompton | Mid Devon | 2,100 |
| South West of Exeter Urban Expansion | Teignbridge | 2,000 |
| Newton Abbot (Houghton Barton) | Teignbridge | 1,800 |
| Tiverton Eastern Urban Expansion | Mid Devon | 1,520 |
| Newton Abbot (Wolborough) | Teignbridge | 1,500 |
| Axminster | East Devon | 1,481 |
| North of Blackhorse | East Devon | 1,480 |
| Pinhoe | East Devon | 1,314 |
| Exmouth | East Devon | 1,229 |
| North West Cullompton | Mid Devon | 1,200 |
Source: Devon County Council Planning, Transportation and Environment Team, 2016