Stories about St James

Council denies data and contrives criteria to dismiss community balance concerns in third King Billy student block approval
Exeter Observer analysis finds more students living in city centre than residents as council bid to include PBSA in housing delivery figures weakens local planning policy – but does not remove it from decision-making altogether.

Lib Dems take command at County Hall despite Reform UK surge as Conservatives lose 33 seats and Labour is wiped out
2025 Devon County Council elections leave balance of power in Green Party hands as local government reorganisation takes centre stage on regional political agenda.

2025 Devon County Council elections results
County-wide seat wins and vote share changes plus the votes cast with vote share, party vote share change and turnout in each Exeter division.
, updated

2025 Exeter & Devon local elections guide
Devon County Council elections take place on 1 May alongside two Exeter City Council by-elections. Our essential guide explores the background to this year’s ballot and assesses the contests in each of the city’s electoral divisions and wards.
, updated

Plan for student accommodation block in back garden of 17-bed Pennsylvania Road HMO dismissed at appeal
City council planning consent refusal upheld by inspector in decision citing existing community balance policy that is not retained in proposed new Exeter Local Plan.

Victoria Street “co-living” complex refused as “substandard level of accommodation”
Council confirms scheme would constitute “overdevelopment” but persists in promoting co-living as local housing solution, claiming lack of demand means “no evidence to demonstrate that it is not a suitable model” for Exeter.