Harlequins fate to be decided

Hotel goes, but more bedrooms planned

A revised plan to redevelop Exeter’s Harlequins Shopping Centre will be considered next week, with developers scrapping a planned hotel they think is no longer viable.

Last year the city council’s planning committee granted permission to turn the city centre site on Paul Street, built in the mid-1980s, into apartments and a hotel.

Two blocks were proposed: one consisting of 251 bedrooms, predominantly for students but that are described as 'co-living' meaning they could be rented by other people as well, along with a 116-bedroom hotel in the second block.

But in July developers Curlew submitted a new application, replacing the hotel with another co-living block, bringing the total number of beds up to 378.

Co-living schemes are designed for young professionals, combining smaller private living spaces with larger shared communal facilities.

In a statement with the new plan, the company said: “Since the submission of the first application in November 2019, the [covid] pandemic has resulted in significant changes to the economy.

“Therefore, following approval of the original application a review has taken place of the proposals. This has resulted in the decision to remove the hotel from the scheme.

“The pressing need for residential accommodation within the city does remain and therefore this second application … seeks to deliver high density residential accommodation in the form of co-living, within the footprint and envelope of the previously approved scheme.”

However, the updated plans will still see the creation of a ‘pocket park’ - improvements around Paul Street for pedestrians and cyclists, and the replacement of the pedestrian bridge over the road with a modern, lightweight bridge.

In addition, the previous approved application included a car park in the basement to replace the existing public car park operated by the council. Discussions with the council confirmed that the car park remains a requirement, the developer said.

Under the co-living design, each resident will have a lockable en-suite private room. Areas such as kitchen or lounge will be shared.

Both blocks will operate jointly, with one management team, and residents will also have access to amenities including lounges, cinemas, a gym, separate yoga studio and spa suite, laundry, co-working area and a games zone.

The project involves demolishing the Harlequins Centre, apart from a small part of the existing building (Nos 21-22 Queen Street) which predates the more modern centre and to allow for the relocation of hearing centre Chime.

A number of objections have been submitted, including all 19 members of the public who have commented at the time of publication and the Exeter Civic Society.

In a letter to planning officers, the society expressed concerns over whether the co-living accommodation rooms are big enough, wanted more provisions for pedestrians and cyclists and asked for planned laybys outside to be scrapped.

Exeter City Council’s planning committee will decide on the revised application at a meeting next Monday evening [15 November].