Exeter City consults the university community on its development plans

Exeter City Council recently launched a consultation on the Exeter Plan, which will shape the future of the city through to 2040. The Exeter Plan is the basis for how the city will evolve over the next twenty years. It sets out where development should take place and provides policies which will be used on planning applications.

The Exeter Plan sets out a sustainable approach to city planning: rather than including large amounts of development on greenfield extensions to the city, about 85% of the land earmarked for development in the new plan is brownfield. By steering development towards brownfield sites, the plan will protect the city’s hills and landscape, help nature thrive, and support the city’s Net Zero 2030 ambition. The chosen brownfield sites are generally located close to the city centre or key transport hubs with good access to open green space – ensuring that the Exeter of the future will be healthy, inclusive and liveable.

As part of its consultation, Exeter City Council have run public exhibitions across the city, and have specifically sought out input from the University community. On 12 December, Liveable Exeter and Exeter City Futures organised a consultation session for staff and students, where Ian Collinson, director of City Development at Exeter City Council, gave a short presentation about the Plan and what it means for Exeter now and in the future, and attendees were given the opportunity to ask questions about the Plan and the policy decisions that have informed it.

Visitors to the Liveable Exeter/Exeter City Futures stall at the Forum building, University of Exeter.

Cllr Emma Morse, Lead Councillor for City Development and Planning, said: “This consultation is so important and we really want everyone in Exeter to get involved.

“Every policy within the document - from housing to climate change, culture to employment, has the potential to affect each of us in Exeter.”

The Exeter Plan and feedback questionnaire are available at https://exeterplan.commonplace.is/.

Exeter City consults the university community on its development plans

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