Nearly 25 years ago, I wrote about the bustling life of West Country market towns—places alive with farmers, artisans, and vibrant communities. I traveled through more than 40 towns in Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Cornwall, captivated by their unique charm and heritage. But today, those same towns look very different.
Our towns are growing fast, driven by a pressing demand for new homes and often unchecked profiteering. Expanding populations require housing, yet this growth too frequently leads to sprawling developments that lack any sense of place. The sounds of livestock and real farmers have been replaced by distant echoes of agricultural markets moved away from the town centers, their old auction rings transformed into housing estates.
These towns once served as the economic and social hubs of their regions—centers carefully shaped over centuries by geography and human endeavor. Rivers, hills, and fertile vales dictated their locations. But now, that logic seems abandoned. The unique character that gave each town its identity is being diluted by generic housing estates and faceless retail parks.
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Two decades ago, the threat to these towns seemed dire. Out-of-town retail parks, modeled after American big-box developments, siphoned commerce away from traditional high streets. Independent businesses struggled to survive amid free parking and bulk discounts offered by massive supermarkets. There was fear the historic towns would die.
Yet, there was hope. Initiatives like Action For Market Towns (now Towns Alive) emerged to champion the revival of small communities under 20,000 in population. Advocates recognized the importance of preserving townscapes, blending housing, employment, and services sustainably, and rejuvenating local economies.
But progress has been mixed. Returning to Totnes in 2014 revealed the struggle between preserving community character and accommodating growth. Local residents voiced concerns over over-development and strain on infrastructure, while developers pushed for more greenfield housing on prime agricultural land.
Now, more than a decade later, unchecked expansion continues unabated across the West Country. Places like Bridgwater and Taunton have transformed beyond recognition, losing their livestock markets and the unique features that once defined them.
Reflecting on my earlier optimism—that market towns were “in rude health”—I now see a different reality. Without deliberate support for local businesses and thoughtful planning, we risk losing the very soul of these places, replaced by bland sprawl with no character or community sense.
Our towns’ identities were built slowly, with care and logic tied to the landscape and local culture. Today’s rush to build quickly, without respect for history or originality, threatens that heritage. The pattern is familiar everywhere: once-thriving high streets surrounded by generic housing, expansive car parks, and industrial estates offering no connection to local life.
If we want our towns to thrive, development must be more than just ticking boxes. It requires valuing uniqueness, fostering community, and honoring the reasons these places exist. Otherwise, we are left with nothing more than anonymous spaces—bereft of the character that once made them special.