King Billy student flats approved again

Four years on. No progress, so plans resubmitted.

Plans to demolish an historic Exeter city centre pub and replace it with student flats have been given the go-ahead for a second time.

In October 2017, the scheme for The King Billy was approved by Exeter City Council’s planning committee, which in addition to the student flats, would also see a commercial unit and a restaurant or pub at street level.

However, in January this year, as work on the redevelopment hadn't begun, planning permission expired, forcing developers Rengen to go through the process again.

They had resubmitted the application, which was identical to the original and last week, Exeter City Council planning officers approved the plans.

The student flats plans will see accommodation with 108 beds over six and seven storeys.

In their 2017 report, planning officers said: “It is considered that the scheme represents an opportunity for the site, which has remained, in part, vacant for many years to be developed for uses which are appropriate for this location.”

In the statement of support with the application, Rengen had said: “The vacant site and existing pub detract from the character and appearance of the area, and appear at odds with the scale, height and massing of the surrounding buildings, and the site is considered to be highly suited to the proposed high-density, mixed use development incorporating town centre and residential uses.

“The proposed development would deliver a high quality development, which assimilates well within the street-scene and wider townscape. There would be no unacceptable loss of historic fabric and the proposal would not harm the setting of any listed buildings or the character or appearance of the neighbouring Conservation Area.”

The King Billy, with its distinctive octagonal shape, has had a loyal following since it was built in the late sixties. Its predecessor, The Horse and Groom, dated back to the 1700s. It closed in July 2018.

Billy will house 108 students if and when it's redeveloped (courtesy: Rengen/LDRS)