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THE EXETER DIGEST

Exeter Digest #42: Scrutiny Programme Board special report

Our year end edition also includes other local news that matters plus a selection of musical events for New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night.

SPECIAL REPORT

City council scrutiny board enabling illicit obstruction of democracy

Essential safeguard against misuse of power misdirected by Executive members and senior officers while backbench councillors persistently denied rights to examine high-risk schemes and citywide climate crisis response.

Read the full report here.

OTHER LOCAL NEWS THAT MATTERS

Student landlord submits new plans for Union Road HMO back garden block following appeal failure

Application for six bedroom, single storey purpose built student accommodation block made on site of refused ten bedroom, two storey scheme in garden of thirteen bedroom shared student house. Read more here.

Junior doctors stage industrial action either side of Christmas in longest strike in NHS history

Latest round of strikes are eighth walkout by junior doctors in eighteen month national dispute over pay and employment conditions with government. Read more here.

Regional transport infrastructure strategy published for public consultation

Framework seeks to draw together major evidence base assembled over several years to address key challenges to 2050 including integration of walking and cycling with local bus and rail network and freight decarbonisation. Read more here.

Old Exeter bus and coach station to be demolished five and a half years after closure

Bristol-based Wring Group appointed as contractor by city council to demolish building to slab level but not to remove foundations, leaving rest of Citypoint site untouched. Read more here.

Developers seek feedback on replacement of Clarendon House with student accommodation

350-bed block up to sixteen storeys tall proposed on site of underutilised offices on corner of Western Way and Heavitree Road. Read more here.

CHRISTMAS APPEAL

St Petrock’s Christmas appeal to raise funds to support its work with rough sleepers

Exeter homelessness charity’s fundraising campaign features short film exploring how it feels to be homeless. Read more here.

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ON OUR RADAR

New Year’s Eve concert // St Nicholas Priory

A celebration with flautist trio Flute Cake. Sunday 31 December. More details here.

Exeter Phoenix NYE // Exeter Phoenix

A silver, sparkly mirror ball-themed New Year’s Eve celebration to welcome in 2024. Sunday 31 December. More details here.

Twelfth Night candlelit concerts // St Nicholas Priory

Pianist Alex Wilson plays traditional music from across Europe at Christmastime. Friday 5 and Saturday 6 January. More details here.

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SEASON’S GREETINGS

The Exeter Observer team will be taking a break over the next ten days. We’d like to wish all our readers our very best for the festive season, with hope for a more peaceful and prosperous 2024.

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More stories
Exeter College and Petroc campuses map

Exeter College and Petroc merger set to create largest college group in South West

Colleges hold public consultation on creation of new organisation which they say would educate 16,000 students at Exeter and North Devon campuses and employ 2,000 staff with £100 million turnover.

Proposed Clarendon House student block aerial view

Proposals to replace Clarendon House with 297-bed student accommodation complex submitted for approval

Developer Zinc Real Estate arrives at final proposal for up to ten storey Paris Street roundabout redevelopment after nearly two years of informal public consultations and meetings with city councillors and officers.

Nadder Park Road application site location map

Barley Lane greenfield plans place persistent threat to Exeter’s north and north-west hills in spotlight

Council inability to identify sufficient land to meet government housing delivery targets leaves residents with faint hope of local plan policies preventing Nadder Park Road ridgeline development despite 175 public objections to scheme.

Exeter City Council 2024-25 unaudited statement of accounts cover image

Unaudited 2024-25 city council accounts published for annual inspection period

Special information access rights enabling residents to examine records apply until 6 October after asset revaluation delayed publication from 1 July to 26 August.

Illustrative elevation of proposed student block in Summerland Street, Exeter

Pre-application feedback sought on proposals for six storey Summerland Street student accommodation block

Redevelopment of Unit 1 nightclub and Best Tyre Auto Centre in Verney Street would add 180 beds to 1,575 student bedspaces in immediate area on top of 145 studios in consented but unbuilt Summerland Street “co-living” block.

, updated

Former Bramdean School playing field

McCarthy Stone set to build 36 retirement flats on Heavitree school playing field

Proposals prompting concerns about loss of green space and adverse impact on historic character of conservation area follow redevelopment of former Bramdean School in Homefield Road.

On Our Radar
Burnet Patch Bridge spanning an eighteenth century cut in Exeter City Walls

FRIDAY 12 TO SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2025

Heritage Open Days 2025

Annual festival returns with free talks, tours and exhibitions at heritage sites in and around Exeter.

EXETER CITY CENTRE

Exeter Phoenix building

FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER TO SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2025

Exeter Contemporary Open 2025

Annual exhibition featuring fifteen contemporary visual artists from across the UK.

EXETER PHOENIX

Two Moors Festival musicians performing

WEDNESDAY 1 TO SUNDAY 12 OCTOBER 2025

Two Moors Festival

Chamber music festival celebrates 25th anniversary with performances, talks and workshops across fifteen venues.

DARTMOOR, EXMOOR & SURROUNDS