Headlines
Empty Co-Cars parking bay in College Road, Exeter

Co-Cars liquidation expected to leave creditor and shareholder losses of more than £1.3 million

Sale of Co-Bikes fleet and spare parts agreed for just 4.5% of £600,000 book value after significant grant funding and investment fail to float shared mobility provider.

The Gorge marketing graphic

First Exeter 'co-living' rooms advertised to let from £1,045-£1,360 per month plus council tax

£40,800 minimum salary to rent 26.5 square metre room in six storey 133-unit block, promoted as two minutes' walk from university St Luke's campus, requiring tenants among top 20% of Exeter earners – or with wealthy guarantors.

Royal Clarence Hotel rebuild finally granted planning permission

Royal Clarence Hotel rebuild finally granted planning permission

Agreed developer contributions do not include planned education provision and may be significantly reduced after construction is complete.

On our radar

  • FRIDAY 6 & SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER 2023

    Squeeze Box

    An immersive installation for and about the disabled experience.

    MAKETANK

  • TUESDAY 10 TO SUNDAY 22 OCTOBER 2023

    Food on Film autumn season

    The programme exploring our relationship with food continues with documentary and narrative film screenings and a visit to Exeter Growers Co-operative.

    EXETER PHOENIX

  • SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER 2023

    Spork! Dead Poets Slam

    An October spoken-word poetry special featuring poet and slam champion Rick Dove.

    EXETER PHOENIX

Exeter in brief
St Thomas library

St Thomas library forced to relocate when lease expires in November

Landlord Exeter Estates Holdings, controlled by Exeter Chiefs CEO and chairman Tony Rowe, sought substantial rent increase after withdrawing planning application to demolish library building and replace it with block of thirteen flats.

Exeter City Council litter bin

Council to remove a quarter of city's 800 litter bins

It says many are under-used because they are in the wrong place or too close to other bins, and that city centre bins will be 'largely unaffected'.

St Petrock's mobile rough sleeper service

St Petrock's shortlisted for National Lottery project of the year award

Mobile rough sleeper service among seventeen finalists shortlisted from nearly 4,000 applicants to reach public vote stage of national award.

NHS Devon map

Nearly 60,000 patients on Devon NHS dental services waiting list

Report says number of adults able to access NHS dentist in Devon has fallen to less than 40% as practices hand back contracts and commissioners struggle to procure replacement providers.

County Hall

County council forecasts £9.3 million overspend on top of £36.6 million SEND services deficit

Additional £10 million service delivery cuts, mostly from adult social care and children's services, to be allocated to government 'safety valve' deficit programme.

Exeter City Futures branding

Exeter City Futures board minutes published nearly nine months after meeting held

Minutes confirm Global City Futures work on Exeter Development Fund continues via direct city council contract framework and suggest university could retain brand after company dissolution.

Pendragon Road greenfield development illustrative layout

Pendragon Road development of 100 greenfield homes in Exeter's northern hills allowed at appeal

City council decision to refuse outline permission overturned by planning inspector citing 50% affordable housing provision and housing supply shortfall.

Gallery
Gallery - Salmon Run

Salmon Run

Dozens of runners took part in three community runs along the River Exe to highlight the significance of salmon and the species' relationship with the waterway.

On the agenda
Illustrative elevation facing St Luke's campus

Developer appeals Heavitree Road police station & magistrates court student/co-living blocks refusal

Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner and offshore-registered PBSA Heavitree Road S.A.R.L. seek to overturn Exeter City Council decision to reject application for 1035-bed development beside The Gorge.

Cover of Exeter City Council draft 2023-27 housing strategy

City council seeks feedback on council housing strategy

Exeter City Council is seeking feedback on a draft 2023-27 council housing strategy that will guide the way it manages its stock of 4,800 rented homes and 1,000 leasehold properties over the next five years.

Illustrative view of the development

Plans for eighteen 'zero carbon' bungalows on Church Hill field submitted for approval

Low density development proposal on unallocated site above Pinhoe conflicts with local plan policies intended to protect Exeter's northern hills and landscape setting.

Proposed floor plans and elevations

Plans for PBSA in back garden of Pennsylvania Road student HMO submitted for approval

Application for six-bed two-storey block cites neighbouring student block in back garden beside Devonshire Place orchard and play area as precedent.

Cover of Exeter City Council 2022-23 unaudited statement of accounts

Annual inspection period begins as unaudited 2022-23 city council accounts published

Special information access rights enabling local residents to examine records and ask council and external auditor related questions apply until 12 October.

Victoria Street co-living proposal illustrative view

101-bed 'co-living' complex proposed in the heart of St James

Council vision for city's future on collision course with neighbourhood plan policies in Victoria Street scheme described as 'yet more student housing by stealth'.

Below the fold
Devon County Council cuts £270,000 Wellbeing Exeter partnership funding

Devon County Council cuts £270,000 Wellbeing Exeter partnership funding

Decision made in parallel with homelessness prevention funding cut decisions following January announcement of £50 million of unspecified 2023-24 budget cuts.

Exeland House 'co-living' proposals revised to address 'extreme increase in flood risks'

Exeland House 'co-living' proposals revised to address 'extreme increase in flood risks'

Environment Agency says most new residential development in River Exe floodplain 'will be required to be at first floor or higher' to deal with 'future flood risks exacerbated by climate change'.

Home Office fails in bid to shut down local restaurant

Home Office fails in bid to shut down local restaurant

Hearing following December immigration raid revokes premises supervisor's authority and briefly suspends but stops short of revoking premises licence.

City council grants Howell Road garage flats permission despite pending PBSA appeal on same site

City council grants Howell Road garage flats permission despite pending PBSA appeal on same site

Developer still aims to build student accommodation block saying flats would be 'backstop' against loss of appeal while St James residents concerned students will occupy development either way.

New Community Infrastructure Levy charges to be introduced by city council

New Community Infrastructure Levy charges to be introduced by city council

Charges levied on most new development towards the cost of infrastructure that is needed to mitigate its impact are to change in line with council proposals that discount co-living development to facilitate its delivery.

Water Lane redevelopment outline plans submitted to city council for approval

Water Lane redevelopment outline plans submitted to city council for approval

Up to 980 dwellings and 40,000m2 of other uses including student accommodation, workspace, education, retail and a hotel envisaged on ex-industrial site between railway embankment and the canal.

Just Stop Oil protests arrive in Exeter

Just Stop Oil protests arrive in Exeter

Slow march from Sidwell Street to Northernhay Gardens first action in city by group calling for end to UK fossil fuel exploration, development and production.

Council approves university solar farm in Duryard Valley greenfield

Officers say harm resulting from development of publicly-accessible urban green space outweighed by benefits of renewable energy generation.

£1 million leisure overspend fuels £3.2 million city council deficit

2022-23 budget review confirms £2.2 million annual leisure subsidy to continue with St Sidwell's Point expected to make a loss for at least five years while another £22 million to be spent on Exeter City Living Vaughan Road development.

Council student accommodation policy proposals overlook 50-80% of student-occupied housing stock

Article 4 direction & HMO SPD consultation omits key information, confuses licensing and planning matters, misrepresents NPPF requirements and proposes barely discernible changes in place of needed new Exeter Local Plan policies.

SEND children's services still 'failing to deliver improved outcomes for children and young people'

Devon County Council says change is underway but parents say problems remain unresolved, not enough is being done and their views are being ignored.

University comes clean on true Exeter campus student numbers over past two decades

Figures obtained under Freedom of Information Act confirm between 7,500 and 12,000 more students based in city each year than university numbers suggest – until this year – with major implications for council planning policy.

Devon County Council admits 'serious, material, well-evidenced' governance failures

Deficient SEND and children's services combine with threat of section 114 bankruptcy notice to prompt 'root and branch' review aimed at restoring 'external confidence in the council's democratic legitimacy'.

, updated

Exeter bus stuck in rush hour traffic

The road ahead for Stagecoach

Exeter's bus services remain a topic of criticism, but when buses fail to turn up it's too simplistic to blame the bus company. An interview with Stagecoach South West managing director Peter Knight helps explain why.

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