THE EXETER DIGEST

Exeter Digest #35: The Gorge co-living rent levels - Exeland House flood risks revision - Wellbeing Exeter funding cut

Our top stories plus local news that matters with planning updates, public consultations and curated community and culture events.

TOP STORIES

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. Full story here.

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’. Full story here.

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. Full story here.

EXETER IN BRIEF

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. Read more here.

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. Read more here.

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ON OUR RADAR

CROW Show: Light // Maketank

Paintings, prints, sculpture and ceramic and textile works by members of the Creative Older Women art collective. Until Friday 15 September. More details here.

Salmon Run 2023 // River Exe

Three runs along the River Exe to highlight the significance of salmon and the species’ relationship with the waterway. Sunday 24 September. More details here.

Kidical Mass returns // Southernhay

Kidical Mass Exeter is holding its fifth family bike ride as part of an ongoing campaign for safe cycling routes for children, young people and families. Sunday 24 September. More details here.

ON THE AGENDA

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. More details here.

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. More details here.

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. More details here.

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More stories
Devon & Cornwall Police deputy chief constable Jim Colwell, previous chief constable Will Kerr and interim chief constable James Vaughan

Devon & Cornwall Police deputy chief constable Jim Colwell receives 18-month misconduct warning

Outcome of Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation delivered day before retirement of suspended chief constable Will Kerr announced, with Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez unwilling to say whether “golden handshake” agreed.

Newtown active travel scheme map

Newtown active travel scheme approved after four years of public consultations

Joint Devon County Council and Exeter City Council project includes road closure, car parking changes and contraflow Clifton Hill cycle lane.

South West peninsula 2025 spending review road and rail investment map

Dawlish rail resilience, Exeter A379 bridge renewal and Cullompton M5 J28 schemes all shelved after spending review

Government road and rail funding announcement billed as “the biggest boost to England's transport infrastructure in a generation” largely passes Devon and Cornwall by while leaving final phase of South West Rail Resilience Programme undelivered.

Illustrative floor plan of new redevelopment proposals

New Heavitree Road police station student accommodation and “co-living” complex proposals submitted to Exeter City council

Application for full planning permission for 813-room scheme in seven blocks follows decision to reject previously-proposed 955-room scheme in two blocks which was subsequently upheld at appeal.

Change in bus passenger journey numbers 2019-20 to 2023-24 by England local transport area bar chart

National Audit Office finds decline in Devon bus passenger journey numbers among largest in country

Devon journeys down 28% – seventh from bottom across 85 areas – while journeys in Cornwall increased by more than 40%.

Danny Barnes

Danny Barnes received full £15,000 Devon County Council allowance during 2024-25

Heavitree & Whipton Barton councillor failed to sign off £14,600 community grants after attending only two of fifteen public meetings and is alleged to have worked for Scottish Labour MP Imogen Walker since shortly after last year’s general elections.

, updated

On Our Radar
Summer at the Quayside illustration

TUESDAY 29 JULY TO FRIDAY 29 AUGUST 2025

Summer at the Quayside

A month of free family activities including weaving, felting, doodling and drumming.

EXETER QUAY

Spork! summer special

THURSDAY 31 JULY TO THURSDAY 14 AUGUST 2025

Theatre in the Park

Exeter Phoenix hosts an al fresco summer theatre season featuring Shakespeare, spoken-word poetry, puppetry and physical comedy.

ROUGEMONT GARDENS

Exeter quayside farmers market vegetables

SATURDAY 16 AUGUST 2025

Quayside Farmers’ Market

Monthly market offering local produce, hand-made goods, plants, cakes and more.

EXETER QUAY