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We had a very full and successful end of year meeting at the Mint Methodist on Saturday 14 December with Exeter MP Steve Race telling us about how he is settling in as an MP, some of the national and international issues he has had to consider, and his day in the city on the Friday before visiting three schools, attending a meeting about homelessness, and finally attending Exeter Northcott's pantomime. Alan Caig followed with his paper on how theatre had developed in Exeter.

Our Society responded by end of November to two consultations about long-term traffic planning in Devon. With regards to the 'Devon and Torbay Local Transport Plan 4', we agreed with a lot of the suggestions, but felt that bolder aims in general terms, especially where commuting in and out of Exeter is concerned, would be needed and any detailed focus on delivery is missing. In the 'Countywide Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan' only the Boniface Trail from Crediton to Exeter is relevant for us in Exeter. We responded that in general we are positive about this plan, but suggested an alternative routing.

Exeter Civic Society has published a revised edition of its definitive historical and architectural guide to St Leonard’s and the Quay. It is the first revision in over 40 years and is part of a programme to update all the guides to the areas outside the city centre in the Discovering Exeter series. The next ones will cover the Sidwell Street area and St Thomas’ and Exwick in West of the River. Although much of the original guide has stood the test of time, there is a great deal that is new – even some ‘new’ history. Recent archaeology has revealed a mediaeval graveyard around the site of the St Mary Magdalene hospital for lepers near Bull Meadow. And close inspection of Braun and Hogenburg’s map of 1618 suggests that the beam of the gallows which stood on the corner of what is now St Luke’s carpark went right across the road. A grisly experience for anybody travelling along Magdalen Road. The last public hanging there was in 1819.

Last Saturday, 16 Nov 2024, Exeter Civic Society ran its AGM and Planning Ahead meeting for 2025 with good participation from members. Dr Julia Neville was confirmed as the new President of our Society and led the expressions of thanks and gratitude to our outgoing President Hazel Harvey. Several speaker outlined Hazel's hard work for the society over decades and her instrumental role in reviving ECS in 2011 when it was close to shutting down, due to a lack of commitment for crucial roles. It was said that she can leave her post with the Society being in much better shape and looking strongly into its future, a future Dr Julia Neville will help to shape.

The Society has sent a letter of objection to Exeter City Council planners for Exeter College's proposals to construct classrooms at the site of the former changing rooms instead of the promised new changing rooms with classrooms on the first floor which received planning approval from Exeter City Council in February 2023. Alongside this proposal is a proposal for an artificial turf pitch nearby on Flowerpot fields, which also has planning approval, and whilst the college is also seeking amendments for this in its current application to amend proposals, these are in-line with the planning approval. Whist the society had concerns about the provision of an artificial turf pitch being constructed in the city's riverside valley park when the original application was submitted in 2021, we did not disagree with the proposal to replace the 1980s changing rooms with a sports pavilion with a viewing gallery at Exwick fields which included changing rooms, classrooms, and a viewing gallery to support the cricket wicket use.

Exeter Civic Society sees what is presented for the new round of consultations as a huge improvement to the previous design, which we objected to. The proposals are much more in line with the surrounding area, with eight separate blocks and a significantly reduced number of rooms providing less impact to the street scene and neighbours. The positioning and direction of the buildings relate better to elements of the surroundings. We are pleased the developer replaced the inadequate concept as ‘a gateway’ by one interpreting the site as bridging between two decisively different conservation areas (Mont le Grand and Summerlands), and then ‘taking inspirations from their characteristics’. But we still have some concerns which we expressed in a letter to the developer. We are currently working on a reply to the Pre-application Consultation, on which we were invited to comment by ECC.

In its latest round of consultation on bus lane improvements on major roads in Exeter, Devon County Council asked for responses with the aim to come to a conclusion for these measures later in October or early November 2024. We are disappointed that the suggestions are still behind what we advised upon at the earlier stage, but overall are in favour of what is to be decided upon now, with some concerns.

Last Saturday, 28 Sep 2024, saw the unveiling of the blue plaque for Dr Margaret Jackson, pioneer of family planning and infertility medicine, outside the Margaret Jackson Centre, at 4 Barnfield Hill. The event was very well attended by family members, people who remembered Dr Jackson personally, Civic Society members, Trustees of the Margaret Jackson Centre, those with an interest in reproductive healthcare, and our new Exeter MP Steve Race. After short speeches outside the Centre, where the plaque will be soon be fixed in place, the group walked to Barnfield Theatre and a reception was held with presentations in the Clifford Room, filled to the last seat.

Exeter Civic Society is appalled that Exeter City Council has agreed to dispose of land within the city’s Riverside Valley Park for the building of a Green Energy Plant at a recent Executive meeting, even though they have a planning policy to prevent such development in any of the six valley parks, unless a building enhances their use.

On 12 and 13 September 2024, members of Historic England’s Historic Places Panel and senior staff was visiting Exeter to consider a range of issues, including the regeneration of key sites within the city centre, and the strategic roles that housing, connectivity, education & culture have in the city’s future, as well as Net Zero and sustainable growth in the context of the Liveable Exeter Vision. The visit followed an invitation by Exeter City Council, which is interested in the Panel's views as a supportive document to its new 'Exeter Plan'. Exeter Civic Society was invited to a dinner and some of the talks/presentations.

The Society’s and others’ campaign to get added protection for the gardens of Larkbeare House and its wonderful trees which were the focus of our Tree Preservation Taskforce’s concerns has been successful. The Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy MP, has decided to include the grounds of Larkbeare House on Historic England’s national Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest at Grade II. National registration will give these historic grounds a better measure of protection, requiring special consideration if changes or proposals for development are being contemplated. It will help ensure that they are retained for generations to come in Exeter.

We need the help of our Society's members to continue with our series of walks through Exeter. Jim Perriam who very kindly took the planning and running of our series of walks on a year ago, told us, he would not be able to continue this, despite having enjoyed it a lot. So thank you, Jim, for successfully running this activity, and leading us to parts of Exeter we often drove by but never walked through. The idea now is to find members who will plan and lead individual walks, with Gert Vonhoff taking on the promotion of the events, till we find a new member taking on the walks as a series. For more details, please read the rest of this page.