Around 30 residents turned up to the Have Your Say meeting held at St Sidwell’s CofE Primary School on 25 June. The panel consisted of all our local Councillors together with Insp. Dave Turner and Sgt. Vickie Follett of the Neighbourhood Police Team.
A lively discussion and exchange of views on a number of topics took place including:
6.15pm Registration 6.30pm Business Meeting
Click on the headings below to view/download documents:
THE ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Please print documents; no copies will be available at the meeting
Please note:
Director Nomination Forms must be returned no later than Tuesday 1 July
Online Proxy Forms must be returned no later than 6.15pm on Monday 7 July
If you are unable to attend please use the Proxy Form to appoint your voting representative.
The Trust has decided to resurrect the popular “Have Your Say” meetings held annually by Exeter St James Forum prior to the pandemic. All residents and interested parties are invited to join this public meeting to be held at St Sidwell’s C of E Primary school at 6.30pm on Wednesday 25 June.
All are invited to come along and raise issues of local concern or just listen to the discussion of topical matters. Let’s help those who work to serve our community, making St James a better place to live and work, by letting them know our views.
Back in 2023 many members took an interest in the University’s consultation on its plans for the development of the Lower Hoopern Valley. Those plans have now come to fruition and there will be an official opening at the beginning of May, an outside event exploring nature and our connection to it on a new accessible path. All members of the local community are invited.
Date: Tuesday 6 May 2025
Time: 14:00 – 18:00 BST
Location: The event will be held around the new accessible path in the Lower Hoopern Valley.Lower Hoopern Valley is situated on Prince of Wales Road opposite Roborough House and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4S
The importance of Hoopern Valley is recognised in this specific policy of the Neighbourhood Plan:
EN2: Hoopern Valley
Development which would detract from the landscape or ecological value of the Hoopern Valley Park will not normally be permitted. Proposals that would enhance the accessibility, understanding or enjoyment of the biodiversity assets of the park may be considered provided its distinctive character, biodiversity and recreational value is retained and there would be no harm to its special qualities including its wildlife habitats, corridors and any other features of ecological interest including those related to protected species. Where appropriate, development should also restore, conserve or enhance the biodiversity value of the area, for example through the incorporation of biodiversity features into buildings and landscape.
To find out more about the official opening of Lower Hoopern Valley and to reserve your place, please visit the event webpage: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-official-opening-of-the-lower-hoopern-valley-registration-1247093733929
If you are thinking this is a case of déjà vu you wouldn’t be far wrong!
This is the eighth application submitted since 2017 in relation to proposals for purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) on the combined site of the former King Billy pub and Shepherd’s Garage.
A lot has changed since the last public consultation five years ago over an application for full planning permission here. Is yet another PBSA in St James what we really need?
Make your views known to city planners by the deadline of Tuesday 29 April.
…….new deadline Sunday 4 May
Follow this link for further details and how to submit comments
Last year, in defence of our Neighbourhood Plan’s objective of securing a balanced community, many objected to plans to build a student HMO in the back garden of this property and were rewarded when ECC’s Planning Committee refused the application. The owner immediately appealed against this decision and now the Planning Inspector’s findings have been published.
In coming to a decision to dismiss the appeal the Inspector cites various pieces of planning legislation, including NP Policy H1: Heritage –
‘Development affecting heritage assets within St James must pay special regard to the need to conserve and enhance their settings and any special architectural or historic features of significance.‘
The main thrust of his rejection though relates to the impact of the proposal on community balance and cites the following:
Exeter Local Plan Policy H5(b) which supports the development of student housing provided that:
‘The proposal will not create an over concentration of the use in any one area of the city which would change the character of the neighbourhood or create an imbalance in the local community.’
and
Exeter St James Neighbourhood Plan Policy C3 which states that:
‘The development of small scale purpose built student accommodation will be permitted provided that the proposal would not prejudice the objective of creating a balanced community
Significantly, in reaching his conclusion to dismiss the Inspector states:
“I have no doubt that the immediate area around the appeal site, already contains an imbalance in the community weighted towards students …….. the proposal would lead to an over concentration of student accommodation resulting in a harmful imbalance in the local community. As such, it is contrary to LP Policy H5 and NP Policy C3.”
This negative impact on community balance and the non-compliance with NP C3 and LPH5(b) provides sound material for use in any further applications for student accommodation.
When it became clear that the original plan for a 101-bed co-living development would not be accepted, a revised proposal was subsequently submitted for an 89-bed development (see background here). On Friday 4 October ECC reached the right decision, in no small measure thanks to the 160 individuals who objected, when the application was refused.
Among reasons given for the refusal were the scale, massing and height of the proposal not reflecting existing and surrounding buildings together with other significant design issues relating to the layout of the site. On the face of it good news indeed, but is it?
The officer’s report includes some rather disturbing comments:
Community balance, the central thrust of our Neighbourhood Plan (NP) is dismissed. The Report points out that the NP and the current Local Plan (LP) were both adopted prior to the relatively recent emergence of this type of accommodation, and that:
This, of course, is correct; the policies that are designed to improve community balance specify student accommodation in its various forms and there is little doubt that the applicant has relied upon the resultant semantic loophole. There is strong evidence within the application’s documentation of a deliberate decision during the pre-application stage to replace the original designation as ‘purpose built student accommodation’ to that of ‘co-living’, while continuing to focus on provision for the still-intended student occupants.
However, although the Officer’s Report indicates the overarching vision for a balanced community spelt out in the NP should still be given limited weight, there is no sign thereafter of any consideration of this very important aspect of community balance, let alone that it was given any weight at all in reaching the decision to refuse. So, a green light has been given for the developer to resubmit yet another revised set of plans which may be smaller in scale but which need pay little heed to community balance.
Vigilance is required as it is more than likely that a new application will be forthcoming.
| Wider-reaching concern The Report is at pains to explain that the absence of inclusion of co-living in any NP or LP policy addressing community balance, means that co-living cannot be refused in principle, but this raises a very serious criticism of the proposed Exeter Plan, that is expected to replace the current Local Plan. If the absence of such policy is encouraging developers to propose co-living schemes across the City, why has no policy whatsoever been included in the draft Exeter Plan that addresses the need to ensure communities are balanced whatever the type of development proposed? Does the Local Planning Authority really believe that balance is not of such significance that the challenge must be met to design a watertight policy that protects this? No time to lose in preparing a new Neighbourhood Plan The need for a new NP that addresses the issues now being faced is urgent but to get another neighbourhood planning process off the ground requires motivated individuals. Contact us if you are keen to become actively involved with the few who have already expressed a willingness to step forward, taking the lead for the community on this rewarding journey. |
On Saturday 28 September the Trust hosted this event for students and residents which was organised by the University to mark the beginning of the new academic year. Members of the Uni’s Community Engagement team were present to welcome everyone and to give out welcome packs to new students.
Fortunate with some fine weather for a change, the event went well: giant Jenga and Connect 4 games were on hand and free ice cream was provided for all and the Trust ran its fundraising Plant & Book stalls.
A recent working party in Queen’s Crescent Garden saw a band of hardy volunteers come together to tidy up the garden in readiness for autumn. A great deal of progress was made to clear up the perimeter both inside and out:
On Saturday 29 June the St James community came together at the Trust’s annual summer fundraising event. Blessed with fine weather, friends and neighbours sought bargains at the plant and book stalls where business was brisk while home-made cakes, teas, coffee and squash were consumed at the refreshment stall.
There were also parachute games, giant Jenga and Connect Four for all to enjoy but perhaps the high spot was a visit from Minerva, the Little Owl.
An excellent, well-supported day which raised much-needed funds thanks to the efforts of our volunteers and the generosity of members who donated plants, books and cakes.
The AGM held on 2 July was attended by 33 members including Board Members Robyn Connett (Chair), Paul Layton (Secretary), Rebecca Bower (Treasurer) and Harry Temple.
Robyn welcomed members to the meeting and spoke to various aspects of the Annual Report concentrating particularly on the Queen’s Crescent Garden regeneration project and the Board’s continuing determination to secure a fair share of the neighbourhood portion of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding. Other matters raised included the Trust’s communication with members through our biannual newsletter About St James, the website and regular mailings; monitoring ECC planning applications and responding as consultee in relation to the Neighbourhood Plan; and vigilance in reviewing the Trust’s resilience.
The Annual Report was adopted and the accounts approved. Harry Temple was re-elected to the Board but gave notice that he would be standing down in November.
At the close of the business meeting members were treated to a thought provoking presentation by Frazer Osment, Chair of LDA Design and co-architect of the Exeter St James Neighbourhood Plan:
“Our Neighbourhood Plan – its achievements and lessons learned for a future Plan“
Exeter St James Community Trust Ltd is a charitable Community Benefit Society
registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 No. 8372
Registered address: 15 Powderham Crescent Exeter EX4 6DA