Planning & Place
Pennsylvania petitioners expose fifteen years of flawed student accommodation policy-making
City council policies based on faulty premises, inaccurate information and miscalculated projections have failed to prevent mass student occupation of Exeter residential housing stock despite the proliferation of Purpose Built Student Accommodation across the city.
Exeter City Council approves second Harlequins “co-living” block, sealing fate of Paul Street
Previously rejected vision will now form basis of “abysmal” and “poorly thought through” Liveable Exeter development of 383 ‘units of accommodation’ with increased proportion of substandard studios but reduced economic value to city.
Prospects improve for pop-up Paris Street and Sidwell Street tenants wanting to stay on development site
Council leader Phil Bialyk says it will be “some years” before planned Citypoint redevelopment affects repurposed retail units, and that council “would want” to accommodate artistic and cultural initiatives and independent local businesses “should they wish to remain”.
Council plans to scrap affordable housing requirement for Clifton Hill sports centre site redevelopment
Council-owned and financed developer cites unpublished report which values council-owned land for student housing despite council decision ruling out this use.
Harlequins developer plans to scrap hotel to build second “co-living” block on shopping centre site
Existing planning approval will be factor in decision to return to earlier, rejected, vision which would mean 383 studios and ‘cluster flat’ rooms along Paul Street.
Positive Light Projects opens community arts centre despite Citypoint redevelopment threat
Parts of Exeter city centre are experiencing an unplanned renaissance as small shops and cultural venues move in to fill empty units on Paris Street and Sidwell Street, but uncertainty remains as the council still plans to demolish and redevelop.