Property Development

Property Development

Vaughan Road Exeter City Living development site

Why does Exeter City Council evade public scrutiny of Exeter City Living property development decisions?

Significant decisions concerning the council-owned company are being taken in secret despite transparency legislation and assurances when it was created, with governance and scrutiny arrangements also potentially putting the council at risk.

Guildhall shopping centre sale brochure cover

£55 million Guildhall shopping centre decision may breach local government transparency rules

Exeter City Council decision to purchase and redevelop shopping centre may be unlawful, ineffective and subject to judicial review, increasing already significant commercial investment risks.

Karime Hassan, Phil Bialyk, Tony Rowe and Paul Thomas at Sandy Park hotel development site

Decision to send council CEO and director to work for Exeter City Futures is “disservice to citizens”

City council disregards governance, risk and conflict of interest issues despite cross-party challenges and conflates decarbonisation agenda with property development financing scheme.

Harlequins revised redevelopment scheme - block two model view Paul Street elevation

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.

Independent local business in Paris Street, Exeter

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”.

Exeter Digest #5: Second Harlequins “co-living” block? - Arts centre opens despite Citypoint threat - City of Culture bid - Parliamentary boundary review

In the fifth edition of our newsletter we review key stories from the past few weeks and announce the return of our community journalism training courses and workshops.

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