Timetable for the redevelopment of Exeter city centre

Published: 10 October 2016

Detailed planning applications for the multi-million pound redevelopment of Exeter bus station were approved by councillors last week.

And the city will now work towards a timetable for development over the next couple of years.

At a special meeting on Wednesday evening members of Exeter City Council’s planning committee granted permission for a state-of-the art new leisure complex and a new bus station at the site.

Both schemes are being funded by the city council. Work is expected to begin next spring and the new developments are expected to open in the winter of 2018.

Speaking after the meeting Cllr Phil Bialyk, lead councillor for the redevelopment, welcomed the completion of the planning process and said he looked forward to the start of work on site next year.

He said: “I am delighted that members have backed these applications and we can begin to think about the start of work on site next year.

“There is still a lot of work to do, but we are a step closer to creating these exciting developments, which will be a major asset to Exeter city centre.”

Exeter City Council and the Crown Estate will redevelop the existing Bus and Coach Station site.

The council is developing St Sidwell’s Point, a state-of-the-art leisure complex which will replace the aging Pyramids. It is also building a new bus station.

The Crown Estate is creating a £70m retail development called Princesshay Leisure on the rest of the site. This scheme, an extension of Princesshay, will start at a similar time to the council’s development and is forecast to be completed later than the council’s works.

It requires the permanent closure of the top end of Paris Street to traffic.

In a separate development, near to the bus station site, planning permission has been granted for a student accommodation block where the Stagecoach bus depot is currently located.

Construction work on the council’s new leisure complex and bus station is due to start in the spring of 2017.

Stagecoach is now in the process of leaving its city centre bus depot site and completing its relocation to the park and ride site at Matford.

The current bus station site is set to close next spring. The new bus station is scheduled to open in December 2018.

That means for just over 20 months, Exeter will have a temporary solution for picking up and dropping off bus passengers in the city centre. This is known as the interim bus arrangement.

Coaches will have their own temporary arrangements.

The temporary bus solution involves building a total of 16 bus stands based in Sidwell Street, Paris Street and Cheeke Street. Suitable facilities for passengers, like toilets, are being explored.

A reserved matters planning application for the development at the rest of the bus station site, by Crown Estates, is expected to be submitted shortly.

This £70m scheme, including a cinema, shops, restaurants, cafes and public open space already has outline planning permission.

During the autumn of 2016, the interim bus plans will be agreed with relevant orders by Devon County Council, the highways authority.

The main contractor for St Sidwell’s Point and the bus station is expected to be appointed in February 2017.

Work on creating the temporary bus arrangements, like erecting temporary new stands, will properly get underway in January 2017.

The interim bus arrangements will be fully operational by the time the bus station closes.

Construction will formally begin on site to create St Sidwell’s Point and new bus station once the bus station closes.

The construction work is due for completion in December 2018.

Paris Street is expected to remain open to through traffic until late in 2017, when it will close if the relevant permission is granted.

Paris Street won’t reopen to through traffic. Vehicles will still be able to access the lower half of Paris Street to enter the Princesshay car parks. A turning loop will be created for buses half way up Paris Street.

The top half of Paris Street will be connected directly to Princesshay, by a new pedestrianised street.

St Sidwell's Point and the new bus station are both scheduled to open in December 2018.

The bus station will have 12 bays and much improved facilities for passengers.

Coaches will not use the new bus station. They will drop passengers off on the street nearby, in Bampflyde Street.

Construction work on the top half of the bus station site will continue for a number of months, with the completion of the Crown Estates development expected during 2019.