Pressure on Riverside Valley Park

Since summer 2024 our Society has been alerted by increasing pressures put onto the Riverside Valley Park and other green sites along the river Exe in the city. Despite the recognition by Exeter City Council that these areas will be of increased importance to counterbalance large developments in the river valley, actual projects seem to undermine this. We started a media campaign to raise awareness, are in contact with developers and local councillors, and contacted ECC to get explanations and a rethink.

Plans for Energy Centre in Riverside Valley Park

Exeter Civic Society is concerned about the fact that Exeter City Council is looking into disposing 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. Read more under: https://exetercivicsociety.org.uk/ecs-concerned-about-the-disposal-of-public-open-space-for-an-energy-centre-in-the-riverside-valley-park/

Update Jan 2025

With a letter to the City Surveyor, informing the press and asking our members to oppose in writing to Exeter City Council’s advertised disposal notice, our campaign could be maintained, with ‘Express and Echo’ publishing a full article about this on page 2 in its paper on 9 Jan 2025. For more details see our news: https://exetercivicsociety.org.uk/exeter-civic-society-continues-with-its-campaign-against-an-energy-centre-at-grace-road-fields/

Exeter College Swapping Changing Rooms for Classrooms on the Former Fite of Exwick Chaning Rooms

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.

In February 2024 the College submitted a planning application to make amendments to the changing pavilion and the all weather pitch. The changes to the pavilion were primarily to relocate the plant room to the roof, effectively adding a third level which we consider would have made the building unattractive. And when we received notification in September from the planning department that revised plans had been submitted, we were not initially concerned because the description states that it is for a new Sports Pavilion and All-Weather 3G Pitch. However, upon inspecting the amending proposals it became clear that the college is now applying for a single storey classroom block with sports changing now intended to take place at the Exwick Hub off Exwick Road.

For the full story, read: https://exetercivicsociety.org.uk/society-objects-to-exeter-college-swapping-changing-rooms-for-classrooms-for-the-former-site-of-exwick-changing-rooms/

 

 

Update 8 Nov 2024:

From a  letter Keith Lewis wrote to the ECC Planning Department:

“This application is becoming farcical with the latest submission of plans for a mixed changing/classroom single storey building. The latest submission is substantially different to the previous RECONSULTATION OF A REVISED SCHEME advertised in the summer because it is not for a dedicated classroom block. With such another significant change Exeter Civic Society believes that the city council must advertise the application again in the press and allow a statutory three week period for the public to comment.

I/Exeter Civic Society have not been advised of these significant changes, and unless I had viewed the application details today would not be aware of the latest changes.
I note that some statutory consultees have either responded to the latest changes or have been notified – why were we not?
Do you expect this application to be decided by delegated powers or taken to the planning committee? As the application stands, whilst revised plans have been submitted there are no scaled elevations or site plan. From what I have seen from the amended D&A Statement two purported changing rooms will actually be classrooms with full size windows – how will sports people wash/shower after sports, and what sort of modesty will be offered if the windows are at a normal height rather than at high level?”