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Greater Exeter Strategic Plan

Exeter St Davids Station – Central Growth Area

Site Reference: SA-EX-5

Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) sites included: 3915yq2

Parish(es): Not applicable

District(s): Exeter City Council

Site size: 5.3 hectares

Number of homes considered in Sustainability Appraisal Report: 151 – 180 homes

Indicative number of homes factoring in sensitivities and requirements (see below): 660 homes

Potential for employment use: Yes

Relationship with existing allocations and other potential GESP sites: Policy KP5 of the Exeter Local Plan First Review (1995- 2011) allocates surface car parks within the site for office development, student housing and local retail units. The site is identified for future redevelopment in Exeter City Council’s Liveable Exeter Programme.

Planning status: None

Summary description of the site: Mixed-use site in Exeter, including surface car parks, storage and industrial uses, student accommodation and retail. Cowley Bridge Road and Bonhay Road run along the eastern boundary, beyond which are a hotel, student accommodation and residential areas. Exeter St David’s Station lies to the west.

Opportunities

The site is identified for consideration in the GESP because:

  • It provides an opportunity to make more efficient use of a brownfield site
  • It has excellent access to public transport 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 create an attractive gateway to Exeter
  • 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
  • A large proportion of the site has been put forward by the landowner for development
  • 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 includes a number of existing student homes, businesses and public car parking
  • A large area of the site is affected by flooding (flood zone 3)
  • It may impact upon the Exe Estuary, which is a Natura 2000 protected wildlife site sensitive to an increase in the number of visitors
  • It is affected by dust, air and noise pollution from the nearby railway and busy roads and is likely to be contaminated
  • It is close to listed and locally listed buildings and within St David’s Conservation Area
  • It is affected by the operational requirements of Network Rail

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:

  • High quality, high density design that addresses the risk of flooding, respects heritage assets and ensures a healthy living environment for residents
  • A new local centre to the front of the station incorporating public open space, work spaces, shops, leisure uses and a new transport interchange that includes bus stops, taxi and cycle facilities
  • 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
  • Financial contributions towards park and ride facilities and significantly improved pedestrian and cycle links to the city centre, urban periphery and Riverside Valley Park
  • Retention of some on-site car parking for the station
  • Highways improvements to Station Road and the St David’s double roundabout
  • Financial contributions towards the expansion of primary and secondary schools, medical facilities and utilities provision in Exeter
  • Development that respects the privacy of nearby dwellings

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