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Exeter City Council votes down housing plans for second time
by Exeposé
EXETER City Council has voted down plans for new student housing and co-living facilities opposite St. Luke’s Campus for the second time.
The plans submitted by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office would have seen the former police station and magistrates’ office on Heavitree Road replaced with 646 student flats and 318 co-living apartments. The plans had been voted down once before in late 2022 on the advice of council officers but since then the plans had been adjusted by reducing the number of total beds by 80; reducing the height of the buildings and setting the site further back from the road.
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Despite the support of council officers on the second application, Exeter City Council once again chose to vote down the proposal. Recommending the proposal, planning officers said: “The design of the development in terms of its height, scale and massing is acceptable and provides the right balance between making the most of this brownfield site in a highly sustainable location and achieving a design that is appropriate for its context.”
Ian Collinson, Exeter’s
director of city development also defended the proposal saying: “There’s nearly a thousand being proposed here and every single one of those homes has been designed specifically for students and for young professionals by experienced people who’ve done this in many other towns and cities.”
A cross-party coalition opposed the plans, however. Labour councillor Matthew Vizard said: “Once again, it is a great pity that what is still proposed are two monolithic blocks. Monotonous in design, out of all proportion and scale and massing; little outside amenity for residents. Residents understand the need for housing and that this site will be developed. But, believe me, they are desperately worried about this.” Conservative group leader Anne Jobson agreed, commenting on the lack of direct sunlight which would go into some of the rooms.
New plans for student housing have been proposed in Exeter, most prominently one on Summerland Street which would replace the Yonk Asian foods, Sai Kung Supermarket and a central unit previously used as a windscreen repair business, which closed in Summer 2022 and is now vacant. The proposed plans would see 164 selfcontained studios being built.
