Boost for Exeter housing as 17 new social rent homes secured for city families

Seventeen new social rent homes are set to be built on the outskirts of Exeter as part of a scheme aimed at helping to tackle the city’s growing housing need.

Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) has secured the properties at the Elm Park development in Matford, which is being built by Cavanna Homes. 

The homes - a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses - will be prioritised for people with a local connection to Exeter and the surrounding area.

The announcement comes at a time of significant pressure on housing in the city.

 Latest figures from Devon Home Choice show that 1,775 households in Exeter are currently registered as being in housing need, with the majority requiring smaller properties. 

Around 60 per cent of applicants need a one-bedroom home, highlighting the shortage of affordable accommodation for single people and small households.

READ NEXT: Devon supports £88m Government push to boost foster carer numbers

Across Devon as a whole, more than 18,600 households are waiting for social housing.

The Elm Park homes have been secured with funding from Homes England and will be PCH’s first partnership project with Cavanna Homes. 

They are expected to be completed and ready for tenants from winter 2026.

Although based in Plymouth, PCH already manages homes across Devon and Cornwall and has been expanding its presence in the Exeter area. 

In 2025 the organisation secured a further 48 affordable homes at the nearby Matford Brook development near Alphington.

Gavin Sutton, Development Manager at Plymouth Community Homes, said the new scheme was part of a wider commitment to increase the supply of affordable housing locally.

“I am pleased that we are now working with Cavanna Homes to deliver this scheme, and I hope that this will be the first of many opportunities this year that will help us deliver on our ambitious plan to provide more affordable housing in Devon and Cornwall,” he said.

“We are delighted to partner with another developer who views social housing as a long-term investment in community stability, delivering homes that are safe and a place where people are proud to live.”

Elm Park sits between Alphington and Exminster and forms part of the wider South West Exeter development area, which is expected to eventually deliver around 2,500 homes.

The site will include new cycle links to Exeter Quay and Dawlish Warren, a play area, and environmental features such as tree planting and urban drainage ponds.

Ben Jobson, Director of Development for Cavanna Homes, said the partnership would help address local housing needs.

“Developments like this must deliver for the whole community, not only by helping to address local housing needs, but by creating well-designed, sustainable places that sit comfortably within their surroundings,” he said.

“We hope this project will be the first of many opportunities to work alongside Plymouth Community Homes in the future.”

Homes England, which provided funding for the project, said increasing affordable housing supply remains a key national priority.

Shahi Islam, Director of Affordable Housing Grants at Homes England, added: “Elm Park is a prime example of how we work collaboratively with partners to deliver our mission to build thriving communities that people can be proud of.”

All social rent properties in the area will be advertised through Devon Home Choice. Anyone wishing to be considered for a tenancy must be registered on the scheme.