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Greater Exeter Strategic Plan

Airport North – East Growth Area

Site Reference: SA-ED-5

Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) sites included: wz15y87

Parish(es): Clyst Honiton

District(s): East Devon District Council

Site size: 22 hectares

Number of homes considered in Sustainability Appraisal Report: Employment only

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

Potential for employment use: Yes

Relationship with existing allocations and other potential GESP sites: Skypark, immediately to the north of the site, is allocated in the existing East Devon Local Plan and is now under construction. The site is close to jobs and homes allocated on other sites across the West End in the East Devon Local Plan. Part of the site is allocated as Clyst Valley Regional Park. The site is close to other potential GESP site options including sites SA-ED-1 (Sowton), SA-ED-3 (Hill Barton), SA-ED-8 (Airport Business Park) and SA-ED-25 (Westclyst).

Planning status: The site was previously allocated in the 1995-2011 East Devon Local Plan for airport terminal development.

Summary description of the site: 22ha of land within active airfield uses and hosting supporting infrastructure on the north side of the runway at Exeter Airport, south of Skypark and Cranbrook’s proposed southern expansion area.

Opportunities

This site is identified for consideration in the GESP because:

  • A large proportion of the site has been put forward by landowners for development
  • A large amount of land within the site could be considered as brownfield land
  • It is close to homes, jobs and services on sites allocated in the East Devon Local Plan
  • It is well located to attract strategic employment development
  • It has the potential to link in to existing heat networks and benefit from private wire opportunities from the Skypark Energy Centre
  • Development could rely upon and enhance facilities planned on Skypark

Sensitivities

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

  • It is dependent upon access through adjacent development sites
  • The airport junction on the A30 is nearing capacity
  • A small area of the site is affected by flooding
  • Noise from the airport (take-off and landing of aircraft and engine testing)
  • Airport related development could be required on this site and there is potential for impact upon safe operation of the airport without appropriate safeguarding
  • The airport’s private sewage works, engine testing pen and the newly constructed fire service training centre are all contained within the site
  • A number of Listed Buildings exist nearby the site
  • It may be visible from the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • The site may contain Great Crested Newts and other protected species
  • A small part of the site is allocated as the Clyst Valley Regional Park

Requirements

Planning requirements for the site will aim to create a great place to work, providing well designed new development with appropriate and well managed public open space and safe walking/cycling routes. All sites will need to provide 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:

  • Safe and suitable access to the site through Skypark and potentially Cranbrook’s proposed southern expansion area and secure emergency access to the airfield
  • Financial contribution towards improvement of the airport junction on the A30
  • Measures to address the risk of flooding on site
  • Safeguarding of land for expansion of airport facilities if necessary
  • High quality, accessible employment uses allowing for the expansion of Skypark
  • Retention of the engine testing pen and fire service training centre
  • Connection to the existing heat network and private wire from the Energy Centre
  • Measures to reduce noise impacts
  • Relocation of the private sewage works
  • Off-site contribution towards enhancement of facilities on Skypark

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