Exeter Digest #45: Empty Gorge - Liveable Exeter charter - Spruce Close approval - King Billy redesign
Upcoming community and culture highlights include this year’s International Women’s Festival and the return of Library Lates.
NEWS, ANALYSIS & COMMENT
The Gorge stands 70% empty nearly six months after opening as mounting council tax liability looms
Council development director claims developer interest demonstrates need for co-living in Exeter but works have yet to start on all other such schemes. Full story here.
Liveable Exeter Placemaking Charter consultation skewed towards only one of five ‘core tools’
Private developers’ forum and other major components of new charter not mentioned in council communications, but transparency and new ‘culture of openness’ to ‘help build trust in the planning system’ emphasised throughout. Full story here.
City council approves plans for controversial greenfield site housing
Key details remain unresolved including future ownership and management of green space and public access restrictions during construction period. Full story here.
Top to bottom King Billy student block redesign waved through as minor variation to consented plans
Council throws out Design Review Panel interventions and reneges on commitment to planning committee while developers claim unauthorised destruction of protected medieval wall justified on safety grounds. Full story here.
ON OUR RADAR
PRISM Exeter speakers series returns // Exeter Library
LGBTQIA+ researchers share their experiences working in STEMM as part of this year’s LGBT+ History Month. Wednesday 28 February. More details here.
International Women’s Festival 2024 // Exeter Phoenix
A free one-day festival celebrating women with live music, workshops, panel discussions, art and more. Saturday 9 March. More details here.
Library Lates returns // Exeter Library
An evening of live music, creative workshops and games. Saturday 23 March. More details here.
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Exeter City Council is about to seize the helm of Exe estuary maritime life: will it steer it onto the rocks?
Charges for waterways access are set to be imposed from the quay and canal basin to the coast under proposed Harbour Revision Order powers after six years of rising costs propelled by pursuit of Port Marine Safety Code compliance. They risk driving away craft of all sizes, from kayaks to yachts, while redevelopment threatens canalside land – but it’s not too late to change course.
, updated
Exeter In Brief
SOUTH WEST WATER has admitted criminal offences relating to the contamination of drinking water in Brixham in 2024. The outbreak, caused by the parasite cryptosporidiosis, affected around 16,000 properties in the area and led to around 100 cases of illness. The admission, made during a case heard at Exeter Magistrates’ Court, followed news that a claim against the company being brought by law firm Leigh Day on behalf of residents and businesses in Exmouth affected by sewage pollution has been expanded to include people living in Dawlish, Sidmouth, Teignmouth, Newquay and Penzance. A 2025 Ofwat investigation into the management of South West Water’s sewage treatment works and sewerage networks led to the imposition of enforcement measures costing £24 million. During the 2024-25 reporting year the company recorded 109 pollution incidents per 10,000km of sewer &ndash more than any other water company in England and Wales and five times the industry-wide target and more than double the industry average.
EXETER CITY COUNCIL has withdrawn its £2.5 million plans to refurbish the upper decks of the Cathedral and Quay car park and outsource its daily management. A brief report summarising the plans was brought direct to a city council meeting without being first scrutinised by councillors, as required by local government legislation. The meeting was repeatedly paused so council leader Phil Bialyk could confer with senior council officers in response to numerous concerns raised by councillors about the plans. The upper decks of the 355-space council-owned car park were closed six years ago after a survey revealed structural defects. The council says it has been advised that the car park is now capable of “withstanding” the loads it was designed to carry.
A new E-BIKE HIRE SCHEME is expected to begin a pilot in Exeter in the next few weeks, according to Local Democracy Reporter Guy Henderson. Thomas Lloyd Foster, trading as not-for-profit Sprintco Limited, says his app-based scheme will start with ten docking stations on private land in high-footfall areas, and that he is discussing scheme expansion with Devon County Council. Co-Bikes, a previous scheme of around 240 e-bikes operated by shared mobility provider Co-Cars, ceased trading in July 2023 when Co-Cars collapsed.
The UNIVERSITY OF EXETER has made redundancy payments of almost £19 million to around 450 staff who have left under a voluntary scheme over the past two years. Its 2024-25 annual report says that first round of the scheme, which ran from April to August 2024, was taken up by around 180 employees with around 270 employees then leaving during a second redundancy round held the following year, which the university says was prompted by “the acknowledgement of the impact of continued international student recruitment challenges”.
The redevelopment of KING GEORGE V PLAYING FIELD by Exeter City Community Trust has begun after a scheme to install a full-size artificial football pitch with floodlighting, refurbish and extend a sports pavilion and expand its car park was approved by Exeter City Council last August. The decision was made by officers and did not go before the council’s planning committee. It followed a July 2024 council decision to transfer 40 acres of land at the Countess Wear playing fields to the trust which was made without a promised “wide-ranging, fully open public consultation” on the proposal. The trust instead held an informal consultation in December 2024. The council executive is due to hear an otherwise unexplained item related to the scheme next month described as “relating to financial ask of c.£475,000”.
More stories
Exeter local elections to go ahead in May after government cancellation U-turn
Secretary of State Steve Reed withdraws decision following legal advice in face of Reform UK High Court challenge, leaving city council leader Phil Bialyk facing electoral oblivion.
Exeter City Council leader Phil Bialyk hides behind flimsy CEO capacity claims to contrive local elections cancellation
Labour councillors plumb new depths to cling to power – and personal financial gain – as government-backed contempt for democracy enables seven of eight executive members to avoid ballots in their wards until council abolition in 2028.
Exeter Rugby Group reports £10.3 million losses as Exeter Chiefs seeks new investor
Losses include £6.2 million loan write-off associated with Sandy Park Hotel owned by club chairman Tony Rowe.
Exeter is for Everyone event attendees outnumber anti-migrant marchers 14:1
Around 850 people took part in city centre event held under “Unite Against the Far Right” banner while “Unity March Exeter” attendees numbered around 60.
Plans for six-storey Summerland Street student block submitted for approval
Spinnaker Estates application for full planning permission for 180-bed redevelopment would increase number of student beds in immediate area to 1,754.
Devon County Council funding cuts set to reduce core library opening hours by 30%
Public consultation on changes explores possibility of closing some branches altogether despite claims to the contrary while Libraries Unlimited contract extension decision scheduled for six weeks before consultation ends.
On Our Radar
SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2026
International Women’s Festival 2026
A free one-day celebration with live music, dance, workshops, panel discussions and more.
EXETER PHOENIX
SATURDAY 21 & SUNDAY 22 MARCH 2026
Benedictine weekend
Medieval food, talks, workshops and music exploring the life and times of Hildegard of Bingen.
ST NICHOLAS PRIORY
SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2026
La Cenerentola
Exeter Opera Group performs Rossini’s variation on Cinderella with a twist.
ST NICHOLAS PRIORY
Spotlight
Labour and Conservative councillors join forces to block Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour initiative
Rejection of voluntary and community sector calls for more inclusive response follows thirteen-year council failure to comply with legal duties under crime and disorder legislation in relation to Exeter Community Safety Partnership.
