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With our pick of upcoming local community and culture highlights and a recap of the top stories from our previous edition.
HEADLINES
Barley Lane greenfield plans place persistent threat to Exeter’s north and north-west hills in spotlight
Council inability to identify sufficient land to meet government housing delivery targets leaves residents with faint hope of local plan policies preventing Nadder Park Road ridgeline development despite 160 public objections to scheme. Read more.
Pre-application feedback sought on proposals for six storey Summerland Street student accommodation block
Redevelopment of Unit 1 nightclub and Best Tyre Auto Centre in Verney Street would add 180 beds to 1,575 student bedspaces in immediate area on top of 145 studios in consented but unbuilt Summerland Street “co-living” block. Read more.
McCarthy Stone set to build 36 retirement flats on Heavitree school playing field
Proposals prompting concerns about loss of green space and adverse impact on historic character of conservation area follow redevelopment of former Bramdean School in Homefield Road. Read more.
Unaudited 2024-25 city council accounts published for annual inspection period
Special information access rights enabling residents to examine records apply until 6 October after asset revaluation delayed publication from 1 July to 26 August. Read more.
ON OUR RADAR
Heritage Open Days 2025 // Exeter city centre & elsewhere
Annual festival returns with free talks, tours and exhibitions at heritage sites in and around Exeter. More details.
Exeter Contemporary Open 2025 // Phoenix Gallery
Annual exhibition featuring fifteen contemporary visual artists from across the UK. More details.
Community centre hosts locally-sourced seasonal three-course meal to help improve café facilities. More details.
BELOW THE FOLD
25 stories for the 2025 summer recess
The Exeter Observer team took a short break from publishing during the summer recess to carry out essential maintenance and development work.
We picked 25 stories from the preceding twelve months to keep readers ticking over until September.
Exeter Observer is owned and funded by its readers instead of remote shareholders or individuals beholden to corporate advertisers or those in power.
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We need more of our readers to contribute to our running costs so we can keep publishing our independent investigative journalism.
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Council denies data and contrives criteria to dismiss community balance concerns in third King Billy student block approval
Exeter Observer analysis finds more students living in city centre than residents as council bid to include PBSA in housing delivery figures weakens local planning policy – but does not remove it from decision-making altogether.
, updated
Botched consultation restarted on sale of 8.5 acres of Riverside Valley Park green space
Council land disposal to include rights to lay underground distribution pipework across River Exe floodplain following “low-to-zero carbon” Grace Road Fields heat plant planning approval in face of Environment Agency sequential test concerns.
Summerland Street “co-living” block build – and £200,000 CIL payment – postponed as council approves phased development
Demolition will secure permanent planning consent but leave city centre site in limbo with subsequent construction start date unknown.
Exeter College and Petroc merger set to create largest college group in South West
Colleges hold public consultation on creation of new organisation which they say would educate 16,000 students at Exeter and North Devon campuses and employ 2,000 staff with £100 million turnover.
Proposals to replace Clarendon House with 297-bed student accommodation complex submitted for approval
Developer Zinc Real Estate arrives at final proposal for up to ten storey Paris Street roundabout redevelopment after nearly two years of informal public consultations and meetings with city councillors and officers.
Barley Lane greenfield plans place persistent threat to Exeter’s north and north-west hills in spotlight
Council inability to identify sufficient land to meet government housing delivery targets leaves residents with faint hope of local plan policies preventing Nadder Park Road ridgeline development despite 175 public objections to scheme.
SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER TO SUNDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2025
Play Interact Explore
Theatre Alibi hosts an interactive exhibition suitable for all ages created by artists Leap then Look.
EMMANUEL HALL
SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2025
Nature’s Resources
A programme of six short animated films explores the relationship between humans and non-human species.
EXETER PHOENIX
