Exeter could lose major car park in plans to build new homes

A key car park in the centre of Exeter could be converted into housing.

The draft Exeter Local Plan outlines that Magdalen Street Car Park could be developed to provide new homes.

There is still a focus on larger brownfield sites to deliver the majority of housing, 12,840 homes, over the 20 years of the Exeter Plan. 

To meet this target, and allow for a headroom of 10%, delivery of 14,124 homes is planned.

Housing development sites have been proposed at Marsh Barton, Water Lane, East Gate, Red Cow, North Gate and South Gate, however, West Gate and Sandy Gate have now been dropped.

The South Gate site containing Cathedral and Quay car parks was initially meant to be converted into homes. Instead, building on the Magdalen Street Car Park could take place.

The site has 100 public bays and is one of 12 city centre car parks owned by the council.

It is largely owned by Devon County Council, while Exeter City Council leases the public car park.

The plan says: “A revision has been made to the boundary of the South Gate site to remove areas of current housing and the Cathedral and Quay car park due to delivery constraints; the site now focuses on the Magdalen Street Car Park and the highway land in the area.

“The site provides a great opportunity to significantly enhance the appearance of this key gateway to the city centre, improve active travel links between the city centre and the quayside and deliver a significant number of new homes.

“Development in this location would significantly improve the efficiency of the use of land in an area which has excellent access to a range of facilities, jobs and shops.

“Key considerations will be the loss of a public car park on site, the need to significantly realign the highway gyratory and take account of the utilities present in the area and the need to address potential impacts on the conservation area and the City Walls.”