Plans to redevelop Exeter city centre’s outdated Harlequins Centre into a “co-living” scheme and hotel have been approved.
After three hours of debate on October 26, developer Curlew’s scheme was approved by Exeter City Council’s planning committee.
The plan would see the shopping centre turned into a co-living scheme, thought to be the first in the South West, and a hotel with a bar and restaurant.
The redevelopment will see two blocks built on the site., Block One would see a total of 251 co-living bedrooms – which involves a number of flats being built for students but able to be rented by non-students as well - with 116 hotel bedrooms in Block two.
The plans will also see the creation of a pocket park, significant improvements to the urban realm of Paul Street, enhancing the environment for pedestrians and cyclists, and the replacement of the pedestrian bridge over Paul Street with a modern, lightweight bridge.
But despite 375 of the 379 people who commented on the application objecting to the scheme, Exeter City Council planners recommended the plans go-ahead and councillors supported the scheme.
The meeting heard that as the council cannot at present demonstrate a five-year land supply of deliverable housing site and the housing policies of the development plan are out-of-date, the presumption of sustainable development applies to the application.
Chris Dadds, speaking in favour of the scheme, said it delivers the Liveable Exeter Vision. He said: "Harlequins has struggled as retail and there are no calls for the retail use to be retained. It is agreed by experts there will be impacts but these are less than substantial, and while there will be impacts, we must make best use of such sites to achieve a sustainable future, and the impacts are outweighed by the substantial benefits."
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But opposing the scheme, Mary Chichester said the seven-story tower will overshadow and dwarf the Roman city wall. She added: "Hundreds of residents have expressed their reservations and this will harm the city’s heritage assets."
Cllr Diana Moore also called for plans to be refused, saying: "The design, scale and mass of the co-living block and hotel won’t make a positive contribution to the area and will be overbearing on heritage assets.
"The overbearing development will have a significant negative impact on heritage. This is not a good development for Exeter – please reject the application."
Further concerns were raised by Cllr Laura Wright, who said that while the notion of co-living is something she supports, the size of the units worried her.
She said: "They would be well short of the size of a Travelodge room and living in an equivalent space is not acceptable for anyone to live in for any length of time."
Cllr Yolanda Henson added: "This is not in the right place as it will dominate the area. We have the chance in a prestige site to decide what type of building goes there and we need something that fits in the area.”
Cllr Rob Hannaford also expressed concerns and said: "I am concerned about what it will means for people and the longer term implications for younger people who could be in these units for months if not years. The idea that any of our young people can have a life that can be scooped up in two bin bags is not the vision I have for our young people or Exeter."
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But Cllr Bob Foale showed support to the scheme, saying it could help prevent a "brain drain" caused after students finishing studying in the city.
He said: "We have too many kids leaving the University and going back to mum and dad, staff at the RD&E (Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital) who need accommodation, we suffer the brain drain. We need to make this a success."
Cllr Phil Bialyk, leader of the council, added: "Exeter has a pressing need for accommodation to meet our housing needs and our challenge is to provide it in sufficient numbers.
"We are obliged to demonstrate five year housing land and presently we cannot do so – have just over two years supply of housing land.
"This is a challenge to deliver in the historic city but the amendments are worthwhile and render it acceptable. There is evidence for demand for this sort of co-living and young people have not got a chance of getting on the housing ladder.
"To give them an opportunity to live this way will keep younger people in the city. I really do think this is a move in the right direction.”
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Cllr Amal Ghusain added: "Every development is a compromise and on the whole, this is 55% positive vs 45% negative."
Recommending approval, officers said the balance test with regard to heritage assets has already been satisfied as there were no adverse impacts of the scheme that are considered to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the economic, social and environmental benefits of the scheme.
They added: "Planning officers have concluded that the benefits of the scheme, which are significant, outweigh this harm.
"These benefits include economic growth in the form of job creation and expenditure in the city centre, delivery of housing to help with the council’s lack of five year housing supply, significant public realm improvement works along Paul Street and on the corner of Paul Street and Queen Street, improved public access and setting of the City Wall, with an 'interpretation centre', and a biodiversity net gain of 616%$."
S106 contributions have also been secured towards the management, maintenance, repair and promotion of the City Wall, and public open spaces within the area, the report says.