Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Strategic Director for Place.

Councillor Hussain arrived during the item and did not participate in the debate or vote on this item.

The Chair invited Councillor Wright to speak under Standing Order No. 44, who made reference to:

·        as a St. Thomas ward Councillor, she strongly objected to the proposed development, and welcomed the detailed officer report recommending refusal;

·        there were a large number of resident objections who recognised the need for affordable and sustainable housing in Exeter;

·        resident objections were on the proposal’s scale and design, which were considered to be out of character with the area and conflicted with Exeter’s long-standing avoidance of building along the ridgeline area;

·        there were unresolved issues around infrastructure, public services, and transport, as well as significant environmental concerns, notably on increased flood risk, which was insufficiently addressed by the developer;

·        development in Exeter should enhance the city, rather than diminish it; and

·        the Planning Committee was urged to refuse the application, which would place undue pressure on the community, harm local environment, and lacked proper resident engagement.

The Chair invited Councillor Darling to speak under Standing Order No. 44, who made reference to:

·        their objection was focussed on active travel and transport issues;

·        despite the transport assessment deeming the risk acceptable, the development would  increase car use and congestion on Dunsford Road, as well as across the city;

·        residents had already reported heavy traffic in the area with buses currently struggling to access the area due to obstructions from parked cars;

·        walking and cycling access was unrealistic, given that the nearest railway station was a 20-minutes’ walk away and the site required walking up a steep hill;

·        walking routes to bus stops exceeded the 10-minute threshold, which would encourage further use of cars;

·        the proposed development would diminish the rural character of the Exeter Green Circle walking route;

·        cycling was considered to be unsafe and impractical due to fast traffic, lack of cycle lanes, steep gradients, and that the National Cycle Network route was only suitable for highly confident cyclists;

·        transport issues were beyond the control of the developer and geography was the main barrier to active travel in this area, making the site inherently unsuitable for sustainable transport; and

·        significant transport limitations and the wider aesthetic and environmental concerns justified refusing the application in line with officers’ and residents’ views.

The Chair invited Councillor Fullam to speak under Standing Order No. 44, who made reference to:

·        officers, Councillors and the 200 plus residents who unanimously opposed the proposal were thanked;

·        the urban context of St. Thomas was described as a dense area, with very limited green space and Barley Lane acting as a vital green escape from the urban environment;

·        the area offered countryside for local residents, walkers, and dog owners and developing the site would push the accessible green space much farther away, whilst further deepening the urban footprint;

·        the issue was not about resisting development, but about the principle of protecting the prominent ridgeline of the city. Building on the ridgeline would permanently  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43