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Greater Exeter Strategic Plan

Pinhoe Trading Estate – Central Growth Area

Site Reference: SA-EX-18

Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) sites included: None

Parish(es): Not applicable

District(s): Exeter City Council

Site size: 9.4 hectares

Number of homes considered in Sustainability Appraisal Report: 351 – 417 homes

Indicative number of homes factoring in sensitivities and requirements (see below): 278 homes

Potential for employment use: Would need to incorporate employment floorspace.

Relationship with existing allocations and other potential GESP sites: Monkerton / Hill Barton strategic allocation, made in the Exeter Core Strategy, is to the south.

Planning status: The site has been the subject of numerous planning consents. The trading estate is protected for employment use by Policy CP4 of the Exeter Core Strategy and is also covered by the waste consultation zone for Pinbrook recycling centre

Summary description of the site: Suburban trading estate comprising a range of unit sizes, together Pinbrook Recycling Centre, one home and a supermarket.

Opportunities

This site is identified for consideration in the GESP because:

  • It provides an opportunity to make more efficient use of a brownfield site
  • It has good access to public transport, is on a strategic cycle route, and is close to a wide range of job opportunities and facilities, giving the potential for car-free residential development
  • It gives an opportunity to significantly enhance the appearance of the area
  • A proportion of the site is in public sector ownership, enabling additional influence over design and delivery and the opportunity to reinvest proceeds into city improvements

Sensitivities

The site has a number of sensitivities which redevelopment would need to take into account, including:

  • It includes a number of employment and retail premises and a home
  • Part of the site is affected by the Pin Brook floodplain
  • The site includes Pinbrook Recycling Centre and its Waste Consultation Zone
  • It is likely to be contaminated and is affected by air and noise pollution from existing businesses, vehicles and the railway line
  • It may impact upon the Exe Estuary and Pebblebed Heaths, which are Natura 2000 protected wildlife site sensitive to an increase in the number of visitors

Requirements

Planning requirements for the site will aim to create a great place to live and work, providing well designed new neighbourhoods with appropriate and well managed public open space and safe walking/cycling routes. All sites will need to provide a mix of homes (including affordable and custom build), investment

in low carbon energy and transport, high speed internet and wildlife enhancements. More detail on these can be found in the policies within Section B of this document. Other emerging requirements include:

  • A phased release of land for employment use, to allow for consideration of supply and demand Consideration of the recycling centre to enable continued operation
  • High quality, high density design that creates a healthy living environment for residents and includes a new wetland park around the Pin Brook to address the risk of flooding
  • Funding of measures to reduce the impact on the Exe Estuary and Pebblebed Heaths, including provision/contribution towards Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG)
  • Measures to minimise car use, including potential car-free residential development, motor vehicular access restrictions and financial contributions towards highways junction improvements, park and ride facilities and enhancement of pedestrian/cycle routes including linking to strategic cycle route
  • Financial contributions towards the expansion of primary and secondary schools, medical facilities and utilities provision in Exeter
  • The need to respect the privacy of nearby dwellings

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