®Planning appeal decision
68-72 Howell Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4LZ
Planning appeal 3325492 at 68-72 Howell Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4LZ (Exeter City Council) was allowed on 13 May 2024 by Inspector Rose C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the appeal site is an appropriate location for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), with particular regard to the local development strategy.
Demolition of garage workshop (Maximum Motors) and construction of four 3-storey (plus basement) purpose-built student accommodation units, numbering 26 bedrooms in total
- Authority
- Exeter City Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Other minor developments
- Inspector
- Rose C
- Postcode
- EX4 4LZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the appeal site is an appropriate location for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), with particular regard to the local development strategy
What decided it
The appeal site, being a non-residential building in a large gap between residential terraces and close to the University and City Centre, represents an appropriate location for PBSA that can be properly integrated into the urban area in accordance with Policy C2 of the Neighbourhood Plan, and the proposal would enhance rather than harm the conservation area.
The benefits of providing PBSA on an appropriate site close to the University and City Centre, in accordance with the local development strategy and Core Strategy target of 75% of additional student numbers in PBSA, outweighed any concerns about community balance, which were not demonstrated to be engaged by this large-scale PBSA proposal.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy H5 of the Exeter Local Plan First Review 1995-2011Policy C2 of the Exeter St James Neighbourhood Plan March 2013Policy C3 of the Exeter St James Neighbourhood Plan March 2013Policy CP5 of the Core Strategy (Adopted February 2012)
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 30Paragraph 8
- Judgments
- 2015 High Court Judgement
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024
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- Dismissed15 December 202560006952 West Street, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1BA
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.