A settled and farmed lowland landscape, which gives the impression of being a fertile and prosperous agricultural area. The patchwork of fields and hedgerows is characterised by red soils, a wide variety of crops and numerous orchards, giving the area a rich variety of colours and textures, particularly in spring and late summer. The tree-fringed rivers Yeo, Creedy, Culm and Exe snake in meandering courses across their wide floodplains, past historic mills, bridges and weirs, all of which contribute to the time-depth of the landscape. The numerous prehistoric barrows hint at earlier phases of the landscape’s evolution. Crediton, with its historic town centre and splendid red stone parish church gives its surroundings a more developed character.
This relatively flat area contains land to the east and west of Crediton, and is dominated by several river valleys. It includes parts of the valleys of the Yeo (and its tributary the Creedy) in the west and the Culm in the east as well as the productive farmland between them centred on the Exe. To the north are transitions into the steeper landforms of the Exe Valley, Cullompton Rolling Farmland and the Crediton Rolling Farmland. To the west is a gradual transition into the more elevated landscapes of the High Taw Farmland. To the east (beyond the Culm valley) are the Clyst Lowland Farmlands and to the south are the more wooded landscapes of the Yeo Uplands and Slopes and the Exeter Slopes and Hills.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/east-devon-area/mid-devon-area/yeo-culm-and-exe-lowlands
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
Planning Strategy
To protect the area’s rural character and enhance the landscape and biodiversity interest of the agricultural landscape. The area’s distinctive patchwork of hedged fields, traditional orchards and varied agriculture is retained and enhanced. The river valleys are well managed to function as flood plains and as a biodiversity resource. Archaeological and historic features within the landscape are protected, and opportunities for access are enhanced.
