Issue - meetings

Clifton Hill Site Report

Meeting: 14/01/2020 - Executive (Item 15)

Loan to Exeter City Living for Clifton Hill Development

To consider the report of the Director (DB).

 

Minutes:

The meeting was moved to Part 2, following a vote by Members, to be presented with the financial element of the opportunity paper from Exeter City Living to progress a residential development at Clifton Hill, which contained information of a commercially sensitive nature. Members discussed the borrowing process for Exeter City Living and future investments to develop affordable homes.

 

Councillor K. Mitchell spoke on this item under Standing Order No. 44. He welcomed the development of homes over student accommodation and commended the Leader of the Council for overturning the decision to sell the land. He considered the land adjoining the former leisure centre to be green open space but stated that the Council would need to monitor the progress of the development.

 

During the discussion, the following points were raised:-

 

·         The development of 44 homes would be built to Passivhaus standards;

·         There would be a focus on maintaining the green space on the retained land and that the Council would be working with the Devon Wildlife Trust for any environmental impacts;

·         The proposal was a first step in developing quality and affordable homes for residents and would provide them with a better living environment;

·         Exeter City Living also required the means to make a profit to continue to develop better quality homes;

·         Decisions for new homes were made to support residents and provide better living conditions, but the Council understood the desire for not building on green spaces;

·         The decision was not easy and given that the Council was not receiving value for the site, unity from Council Members was needed.