Exmoor’s environment and its local economy and communities are connected. Exmoor’s rural nature and its communities with close links to the land, have created a strong sense of identity and community, and a spirit of self-sufficiency. The high-quality environment makes Exmoor an attractive place to live, work and do business, but it’s rurality, geography and National Park designation also provide some unique challenges and opportunities.

Exmoor has a population of around 10,000 with over 1,300 businesses, many home-based, and a significantly higher proportion of self-employment than the national average. Exmoor’s communities and businesses, as everywhere, are affected by changes in how we live and work. This includes the need to adapt to the effects of climate change, with more extreme weather; higher rainfall and more flooding. New and existing development will need to adapt to cope with changing conditions. A declining and ageing population; the lack of public transport; the small, scattered nature of settlements; deregulation and privatisation and the rise of online shopping and services all put pressure on local services and facilities. High house prices and low average wages mean that many people struggle to be able to afford to live in the National Park. Fast changing technology means access to digital communication has become a necessity to provide accessibility to information and services and reduce the need to travel.

Change is needed to adapt to the rapidly changing world and to secure a sustainable and viable future for local people and businesses. This Plan seeks to encourage economic activity in the National Park which benefits from and enhances the local environment, helps to achieve National Park purposes, plays its part in responding to the global climate and nature crises, and supports local communities and businesses. Delivery of the Plan’s objectives and targets will help to support and create jobs, but will require education and training such as new apprenticeships to develop the necessary skills. A more technologically driven world means that digital connectivity and improved transport are increasingly important to ensure that opportunities are accessible to all, particularly for younger people.

Developing connections between producers and suppliers, and considering whether products can be sourced, processed or marketed locally can add more value – building community wealth. This means that tourism income, agricultural sales, or funding from outside the area are spent and retained locally which helps to strengthen Exmoor’s economy.  The public sector also has an important role through providing local services, employment, support, grant funding, and local procurement.

It is not the role of this National Park Partnership Plan alone to address all these issues, but it can play a part in helping to respond to some of the challenges through partnership working. Our Rural Enterprise Exmoor vision has been developed with partners and businesses, for Exmoor to have an economy building community wealth, sitting lightly in its environment, and creating opportunities from its special qualities. This recognises that we will need to do things differently - being open to new ideas, new types of investment and new entrepreneurs - adding to the rich mix that is Exmoor.

Together, we will focus our efforts on actions that benefit from and enhance the area’s status as a National Park. The partnership that has come together under Rural Enterprise Exmoor has identified the key areas for partnership working as: delivering the homes needed for local people; continuing to improve digital connectivity and taking advantage of new technologies; collaboration; good businesses supporting a greener, fairer Exmoor; stronger communities engaged in delivering sustainable housing, energy, transport and local food; a strong Exmoor brand underpinning the hospitality, food, farming, craft and culture sectors; and flourishing farms that deliver prosperous livelihoods, finding new ways to produce food and deliver public goods for the nation (see Section G.1 on Moorland and Farming for more details).

The Partnership Plan also links closely to the Local Plan which sets the policies for how planning and development will be managed.  This plays a major role in conserving and enhancing Exmoor’s special qualities, and also supporting the needs of local communities, particularly the delivery of affordable housing and protecting local services and facilities.

• F1 Promote and develop skills to support delivery of National Park purposes via internships, apprenticeships and placements and deliver 20 opportunities for these by 2030
• F2Promote local, sustainable supply chains and buying local to support Exmoor’s businesses and create and retain community wealth
• F3 Support the housing needs of local communities and increase the number of affordable homes (conversions and new build) available
• F4 Support the sustainability of settlements and needs of local communities, businesses and visitors through safeguarding and maintaining access to community services and facilities
• F5 Support a sustainable and low carbon economy