News

The decision about the Energy Plant which will be the key part of a heating network for Exeter has been taken. Exeter City Council's Planning Committee voted 8:2 for it at its meeting on 4 August 2025. Read what Exeter Civic Society together with Chris Pope contributed to the meeting, how we see its outcome and what we intend to do as next steps.

On the 14th July, eleven ECS members set out from Pinhoe Library to follow a route based loosely on a “Routes For Roots” walk devised for the Clyst Valley Regional Park. The route took us from Pinhoe, via Poltimore to Broadclyst. This was a longer walk than usual, but was completed by all, even those who had turned up unaware of just how long a walk they were letting themselves in for. The weather was excellent for walking - one brief shower - the views were terrific, and only minor injuries were sustained!

ECS sent a second response to the Planning Application 24/1536/OUT 'Land Adjacent Marsh Barton Train Station, Clapperbrook Lane East'. We still object to placing this plant in the Riverside Valley Park, but felt that the new data submitted by the developer in April/May 2025 needed an additional response in case ECC would support the application in its current state. The decision at ECC's Planning Committee is expected for July 2025.

The Society held a stall at the Magdalen Road Creative Fair on Saturday 21st June. We were kindly hosted by Mr Smith’s wine shop. Andy, Hilary and Susan were able to tell lots of the people we talked to about what the Society does, and sold a good number of our newly revised guide to 'St Leonard’s and The Quay'. The stall next to us was offering free gin tasting, which helped to draw people over!

ECS engaged with the developer for Mary Arches car park. This site is not for student homes, but the developer considers co-living for the site. We think small flats would be much better to provide places for families in the city centre. We welcome the redevelopment of this car park site with a high quality design but we are not sure that the design presented has achieved that at this stage.

UPDATE: in May 2025, a new 'Design and Access Statement' has been published by the developer, taking into account a design review which had taken place. The overall footprint of the buildings has been reduced, as smaller units now have been integrated into the main building, which has risen to 3 floors in the newest plans. The building looks much more industrial than earlier depictions. There is increased landscaping around the plant. ECS is currently working on an additional response to our end of March letter. We now want to comment in more detail on the new plans and layout.

We have responded to the 'Section 19' draft of East Devon District Council's Local Plan - this is the draft plan which will be sent with all the comments on it to the independent examiner. The plan proposes a new town of 8000 homes (10000 over the very long term) just south of the airport, a further 600 homes North of Topsham (essentially along Clyst Road) and another 2000 in Exmouth. This is all in addition to the continued expansion of Cranbrook.

Exeter Civic Society submitted its representations to the 'Exeter Publication Plan; Regulation 19' by the deadline 6 Feb 2025. A small working group, set up at a 'Strategic Planning & Highways Group' meeting on 9 December, compared the plan in its present state with our previous responses and the former version, with special regards to legal compliance and soundness. We were delighted to see that many of our comments were responded to. Our detailed work found 2 cases where we commented on the legally compliance of policies and 55 cases where we enquired the soundness of a policy or the explaining texts.

Exeter Civic Society took part in the “History Day” at the Mint, Exeter, on Saturday February 1st. The main part of the event, brilliantly organised by Exeter Local History Society, was an excellent series of lectures on topics relating to recent publications in Exeter local history. Andy, Hilary and Stephen met many of the attendees at our stall right next to the entrance of the hall, and sold quite a few copies of the newly updated guide to “St Leonard’s And The Quay”, as well as some of our other publications. A very successful day!

At a 3.5 hours long meeting, ECC Planning Committee voted unanimously to approve the Outline Planning Application the developer WL DMC had handed in, after one amendment was made to safeguard the operation of Gabriel's Wharf during the construction process. ECC's Director of Place, Ian Collinson, sees this as a crucial step in bringing this key site in Exeter close to being developed. At the meeting, the local councillors and ECS made the point that the Officer's Report recommends to go ahead with no affordable housing and social rent guaranteed secured at this Outline stage, thereby potentially not meeting ECC's statutory duty to provide affordable homes. Ian Collinson as well as the officers pointed out the review mechanism being put in place by the conditions would be sufficient to do both, prove ECC's commitment to affordable homes and over time deliver these on site. The developer's spoke person highlighted that this reviewing of affordable housing at each Reserved Matters application has been successful on other brownfield sites. Richard Clark in an article in 'Express and Echo' last week said his company was in contact with Homes England and Cornerstone to investigate potential solutions and he repeated something along these lines today in a BBC South West interview screened in the local TV news. Exeter Civic Society voiced some doubts in a written joint representation (together with the Haven Banks Residents' Group and the Friends of the Exeter Ship Canal) to ECC on 24 January, which was sent directly to all members of the ECC Planning Committee.

Our Chair, Keith Lewis, supported by comments from the 'Strategic Planning & Highways Group', responded to the developer's consultation for revised proposals for purpose-built student accommodation at Clarendon House on the Paris Street roundabout in central Exeter. To sum up our views, we think the plans did not progress well, as what is currently on the table still does not convince in terms of architecture. Whilst you believe reducing height and the number of rooms an improvement, this has done nothing to improve the quality of the architecture - it still seems like a proposal for stacking accommodation to maximise the number of student rooms rather than designing an attractive building.

Express & Echo published an article on 9 Jan 2025 focussing on our campaign against the placing of a new energy centre in the Riverside Valley Park. Our Chair Keith Lewis had written a letter of objection on 24 Dec 2024 to Exeter City Council's in response to its recently advertised notice to dispose of land at Grace Road Playing Fields for an Energy Centre and informed the press. Members were asked to send in their own letters of objections to the City Surveyor by the deadline end of December.