New homes could replace Exeter garden centre

The planning committee will reconsider the application

Plans to build up to 350 new homes to replace an Exeter garden centre are being recommended for approval again, following further discussions over highways access.

Councillors deferred considering the application for St Bridget Nursery on Old Rydon Lane last month after raising safety concerns about the main access point from the A379 Rydon Lane. However, Devon County Council had raised no objections to the plan but the city council’s planning committee disagreed, with one member describing it as “dangerous.”

In an updated report, due to be considered by the committee on Monday [27 March], officers are again recommending approval after further talks with highways officers, who have suggested installing a coloured raised crossing near the junction of Old Rydon Lane.

In their report, a planning officer has said: “The highway authority have confirmed that traffic lights are not suitable in this location for pedestrians [crossing] Old Rydon Lane at this point due to the impact of queuing traffic on Old Rydon Lane.

“A recommendation from the highway officer made following committee was the use of coloured paving to enhance visibility of the raised table to drivers.”

It added a recent accident in the area involving a cyclist and motor vehicle – which councillors referred to – is “the only incident in the past 10 years involving a pedestrian or cyclist, demonstrating that the existing junction is not inherently unsafe.”

Many councillors at the February meeting asked why an agreement couldn’t be reached with a neighbouring landowner for an alternative access to the nearby Ikea roundabout, a route seen as much safer. But the planning agent for the developer, Waddeton Park, told the council it is “not reasonable” to require this, because highways officers don’t have a problem with the proposed Old Rydon Lane access.

To make way for the new homes, the nursery’s horticultural and office buildings would be demolished.

The development will have 62 one-bedroom homes, 87 two-beds, 138 three-beds and 59 four-beds, though this will be confirmed at a later date. Just over a third of the properties would be classed as ‘affordable’ – typically defined as up to 80 per cent of market rates.

The land, of around 35 acres, is in the Newcourt area of Exeter which is allocated for 3,500 dwellings and 16 hectares of employment land. A significant proportion of the area has now been built on.
A new main road through the development is proposed, closing off part of Old Rydon Lane for through-traffic by creating new access points into the site. This will create a low traffic ‘green lane’ along part of Old Rydon Lane.

The planning committee will reconsider the application on Monday 27 March.