New shopping centre likely

Councillors rejected plans for Honiton Road four years ago

Plans for a giant, landscape-changing, £40m retail park in Exeter – one of FIVE currently under consideration by planners – are being recommended for approval next Monday.

The Moor Exchange scheme, on land North of Honiton Road and West of Fitzroy Road, near the Sowton Industrial Estate, could create nearly 700 full time jobs. Retailers lined up so far include Next, Marks and Spencer, Boots, Mothercare, a drive-through McDonald’s and a drive-through Costa. Lidl were also named on the application documents, but they have withdrawn their interest.

A similar project for the land in 2014 was rejected by Exeter City Council on the basis it would destroy High Street trade and was thrown out by planning inspectors in 2016 after a High Court appeal.

But Exeter City Council councillors are now being recommended to give the scheme the go-ahead as planners have confidence that the applicants Consolidated Property Group will bring the plans forward following the abandonment of proposals for retail at St Sidwell’s Point.

The report to planners says: “There are good reasons to suggest that this proposal is more likely to progress than not, although...nothing is guaranteed. Next have had a long standing interest in Eastern Exeter and it is believed that this site is their preferred one.

“In addition, the presence of named occupiers in the submission documents suggests a high degree of confidence that commercial interest is credible and the submission of this proposal relatively soon following the previous refusal suggests a high level of commitment to delivery.”

It adds: “The application is still considered to be contrary to council policy as the proposed development will not be a ‘local centre’. But the scheme does provide, as part of a wider package, a local function and that it is extremely unlikely that a more ‘traditional’ local centre will be delivered within the Monkerton/Hill Barton area. This application is therefore the only realistic opportunity to secure local retail facilities in the area.

The application is 26 per cent smaller than the one dismissed by the inspector, but the amount of retail floorspace has increased by eight per cent.

Economic benefits associated with the scheme, according to documents, are:

• £15 million construction investment
• 260 average construction jobs over 1-year build period
• 520 FTE permanent jobs
• £12 million estimated total annual wage bill across the development
• £9 million estimated total annual expenditure in the UK economy by employees of the development
• 160 FTE jobs supported in the wider economy by the development
• £1.1 million annual business rate contribution arising from the development
• Up to £2.2 million in CIL

The documents add that there is support from local businesses, citing the benefits of attracting new employees and generating additional investment by providing retail facilities within easy reach of their businesses.

They add that there is a limited retail offer near to the Exeter Business Park, will benefit the staff that work at the business park, and will help tackle congestion in the city centre.

Objections though say that the new business park will have an impact on the city centre, will harm the amenity of residents in the area, and would be entirely car dependent with 408 car parking spaces and limited public transport.

The site is currently a massive patch of grass, but it is billed as a “vital part of the wider Monkerton master-plan” and “act as a gateway to the city of Exeter” it would sit on eight acres of land (around four football pitches.)

The application s the first of the five current major applications for retail development on out-of-centre sites in Exeter to be determined.

The four other schemes are:

• A non-food retail unit on land at the Tesco overspill car park in Russell Way
• Western Power Distribution wants to redevelop its sites off Honiton Road, including its vehicle maintenance facility and a storage site next to B&Q, with £60 million investment and the creation of 325 jobs. Fresh plans show five retail units and two restaurants, WPD say big names are being sought to fill them. They will be serviced by around 336 car parking spaces.
• Plans submitted to Exeter City Council would see seven shopping units built on the site of the B&Q superstore at Avocet Road, along with cafes and restaurants.
• Eight new retail units along with three food and drink restaurants with drive-through facilities, a gym and 417 car park spaces and toilet facilities are planned for land at the HQ of Devon and Cornwall Police at Middlemoor. The planning application states that it is anticipated that the main terrace of retail units will be occupied mainly by national multiple bulky goods retailers in the furniture, furnishings and homewares sectors, with other retailer interest potentially coming from the hobbies, sports and toys sectors.