Mixed-use development including hotel in Exeter recommended for approval

26 October 2020

Revised plans for a mixed-use development which includes a hotel on the site of a shopping centre in Exeter have been recommended for approval.

Curlew is seeking permission to redevelop the largely vacant Harlequins Shopping Centre and its environs.

The proposal is to demolish the shopping centre, with the exception of unit one, and develop two buildings on the site more or less on the same footprint.

The application has been amended twice since submission in order to reduce the scale of the buildings and update the design.

One building will be a 116-bedroom hotel which will be part five, part six storeys in height, stepping down to four then three storeys towards the bottom of Paul Street.

The other building will accommodate co-living accommodation, split between 26 cluster flats and 94 studios, will be located within the northern building. The application also includes the change of use of the two upper floors of 21- 22 Queen Street into co-living accommodation consisting of five studios. The building will be part six, part seven-storeys in height with entrances from the retained square to the north and new public space to the south.

Both buildings will have combined heat and power units which will be supplemented by photovoltaic panels on parts of the roof of each building. The proposal also includes new landscaping, a 'green wall' and public realm works.

Following extensive pre-application discussions and talks during the planning process, which led to tw0 sets of amendments, the proposed development is considered to be acceptable by planning officers, according to a report to be scrutinised by Exeter City Council councillors.

Recommending approval, subject to the agreement of conditions covering a number of issues, the report says there are "no adverse impacts of the scheme that are considered to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the economic, social and environmental benefits" when considering the National Planning Policy Framework as a whole.

However, if the imposed conditions are not met by April 2021, or no extension is agreed, it is recommended the application is refused permission.