NEWS & ANALYSIS
ST. JAMES HMO CONVERSION REFUSAL OVERTURNED AT APPEAL
Council failed to provide sufficient evidence to support 2012 planning policy introduced to limit impact of student occupation of residential housing stock.
BUS BACK BETTER? EXETER SERVICES EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNFIT FOR PURPOSE WITHOUT NEEDED CHANGES
Government underfunding and bus sector challenges limit scope for improvement but county council failure to upgrade routes and policy ambitions plus high housing costs make Exeter difficulties acute, undermining net zero aspirations.
PROGRESSIVE GROUP PLANNING ENFORCEMENT PROPOSAL ADOPTED DESPITE PUBLIC LABOUR REJECTION
Newly-published register also reveals council has issued as many planning enforcement notices in the past three months as it has in the past three years.
UNIVERSITY EMISSIONS STUDY CONFIRMS NET ZERO EXETER PLAN REDUNDANCY
Council retains Exeter City Futures’ services despite history of delivery failures and lack of capacity to support defined decarbonisation targets.
EXETER GREENHOUSE GAS REPORT DISREGARDS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TONNES OF ANNUAL CITY EMISSIONS
Restricted scope of study misrepresents scale of city’s impact to produce partial decarbonisation targets while ignoring opportunities to reduce emissions imported by residents, businesses and visitors, guaranteeing net zero failure.
COMMENT
EXETER DEVELOPMENT FUND: RENT EXTRACTION, UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING AND GENTRIFICATION, BUT NOT NET ZERO
Exeter City Futures’ private debt-driven Liveable Exeter property development financing scheme is under fire from councillors who say it is based on insufficiently-evidenced assumptions and won’t meet Exeter’s housing needs.
EXETER CYCLING & WALKING STRATEGY FIVE YEARS LATE AND COUNTING
County council soft-pedalling on infrastructure plan which city council says will not form part of new Exeter Local Plan despite Department for Transport guidance.
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PROMOTION AS COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTICIPATION
If the Liveable Exeter property development scheme and its Exeter Development Fund financing and delivery vehicle are already intended to “anchor and underpin” the new Exeter Local Plan, what will public consultation on the plan decide?
NET ZERO EXETER ACCOUNTABILITY UNDER SCRUTINY
Exeter City Council’s response to the climate crisis has so far been characterised by numerous failings. Unfortunately its attitude towards accountability for its actions in this area is also cause for concern.
ON THE AGENDA
NEW EXETER LOCAL PLAN
A consultation on the draft version of the new Exeter Local Plan, which will guide development in the city until 2040, is taking place this autumn. It is expected to begin in late September.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
EXETER BESET BY UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING, LOW GRADUATE RETENTION AND ECONOMICALLY INACTIVE OVER 50’S
Exeter City Council executive ignores key challenges flagged in major council-commissioned employment and skills research report.
ALPHINGTON “ENHANCEMENTS” WILL NOT MITIGATE TRAFFIC IMPACT FROM MASSIVE SOUTH WEST EXETER EXTENSION
County council manipulates public consultation and allocates just 1% of £55 million grant to pedestrian scheme while spending 75% on new roads and increased road capacity for 3,500 new cars expected on greenfield housing estate.
COUNCIL REJECTS CALLS FOR GREATER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN EXETER PLANNING POLICY AND DECISIONS
Council defends existing approach despite Statement of Community Involvement consultation producing just 17 responses, and won’t do more to promote neighbourhood planning despite prospect of enhanced community powers.
£900,000 TO KEEP MAGDALEN ROAD ONE-WAY SYSTEM DESPITE DECISIVE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR LOW TRAFFIC STREET
County council misrepresented and omitted key public consultation findings in report and did not publish results until after decision taken in favour of option with only 18% public support. Exeter Observer snapshot survey finds 90%+ motor vehicles passing shops are through traffic.
