South Gate – Central Growth Area
Site Reference: SA-EX-8
Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) sites included: wx15ywf, os12v7n, 0v15yoa
Parish(es): Not applicable
District(s): Exeter City Council
Site size: 4.2 hectares
Number of homes considered in Sustainability Appraisal Report: 202 – 240 homes
Indicative number of homes factoring in sensitivities and requirements (see below): 300 homes
Potential for employment use: A potential for a mix of employment uses alongside housing.
Relationship with existing allocations and other potential GESP sites: Close to site options SA-EX-22 (West Gate) and SA-EX-23 (South St, Market St and Fore St). The site is identified for future redevelopment in Exeter City Council’s Liveable Exeter Programme.
Planning status: None
Summary description of the site: Reconfiguration of the Holloway Street/Western Way/South Street/Magdalen Street junction together with land around it, including surface car parking and blocks of flats, plus the redevelopment of Magdalen Road Car Park.
Opportunities
This site is identified for consideration in the GESP because:
- It provides a substantial brownfield redevelopment opportunity
- A proportion of the site has been put forward by landowners for redevelopment
- It is within walking distance of the city centre, railway and bus stations, giving the potential for car-free residential development
- Redevelopment could significantly enhance the appearance of this key gateway to Exeter City Centre within and close to a Conservation Area
- A proportion is in public sector ownership, providing additional influence over design and delivery and the opportunity to reinvest proceeds into city improvements
- Additional residents in this area could boost city centre viability
Sensitivities
The site has a number of sensitivities which redevelopment would need to take into account, including:
- It is within two Conservation Areas and close to an array of Listed Buildings that provide the site’s setting and context
- The scheduled Exeter City Walls run through the western end of the site and it contains other significant buried archaeological remains
- It may impact upon the Exe Estuary, which is a Natura 2000 protected wildlife site sensitive to an increase in the number of visitors
- The impact of the bisecting urban roads on the site and the need to retain sufficient highway capacity
- It is affected by dust, air and noise pollution from vehicles and may be contaminated
- Potential nuisance to new residents from night time economy
- Development could result in a reduction in city centre parking
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:
- Meeting the housing needs of existing residents
- The provision of new shops/leisure facilities and workspaces
- A design and layout that carefully respects and enhances the Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings and Scheduled Monument and significantly improves the appearance of this key gateway to the city centre
- Funding of measures to reduce the impact on the Exe Estuary including provision/contribution towards Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG)
- Car-free residential development supported by more sustainable transport measures including car- clubs and e-bikes
- Highways junction amendments that improve pedestrian and cycle access between the Quay and city centre
- Financial contributions towards the Exeter cycle network and public transport
- Contributions to expanded primary and secondary school provision and other social infrastructure to serve the development
- Respect the privacy of nearby dwellings