Exeter & East Devon News

Fears over the capacity of East Devon’s sewerage system dominated public concerns amid scrutiny of the blueprint for new housing in the district.

Developers are likely to get the go-ahead next week to build 54 houses on an old golf driving range in Topsham – but they will have to pledge tens of thousands of pounds to local health services and make 19 of the homes ‘affordable’.

Police have received a report on the 25th of November 2025 in relation to 3 stolen Motorcross bikes from an address in Honiton.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has issued a formal response to the Marine Management Organisation’s consultation on proposed changes to the legal framework governing the Port of Exeter as put forward by Exeter City Council. These represent a major update to regulations dating back to the 1800s. The consultation closed on 23 November 2025.

The company behind a popular Devon nightspot says it has been ‘exonerated’ over an incident in which a teenage university student collapsed and fell down stairs during a Freshers Week night out.

A new political group is putting forward its first-ever candidate in an upcoming by-election in East Devon

Plans to build homes in green fields on the skyline overlooking Exeter could get short shrift from city council planners.

The local policing team in Exeter took part in a national week of action in a bid to tackle business crime earlier this month.

A campaign to close a potential children’s safeguarding legal loophole has been sparked in the wake of a controversial event held at Exeter Library.

An Exmouth pub has been given permission to extend its beer garden on its second attempt to make the change.

More than 80 trees of differing species are being planted across Exeter over the coming weeks, underpinning the City Council’s commitment to the environment.

The University of Exeter is among the top four higher education institutions in the world for the way it prioritises the health and wellbeing of its students and our broader society.

The Leader of Exeter City Council has issued a statement supporting Exeter’s diverse communities and opposing those seeking to create division in the city.

The dimming and switch-off times of Exeter’s street lights could be revisited at the end of a county-wide trial after pressure from city politicians.

After receiving strong backing from local residents, a new Neighbourhood Plan for Bishops Clyst has been formally adopted by East Devon District Council.

The Devon Diagnostic Centre is celebrating reaching a major milestone recently, with over 200,000 patients having now received a diagnostic test there.

Exeter residents are being urged to take part in the council’s annual budget consultation.

Thousands more homes in Exeter are set to get weekly food waste collections, as the roll-out continues.

People are being encouraged to get involved in 16 Days of Action, a campaign to raise awareness and end gender-based violence.

The future of a beach sauna in a Devon village remains uncertain after a heated planning debate about flood risk.

At its Full Council meeting this week, Exmouth Town Council discussed Exeter City Council’s Harbour Revision Order (HRO) consultation.

A new Culture Strategy is being developed to help Exeter’s cultural and creative landscape to thrive – and your views are needed to help shape it. 

A regionally important bat roost could be among the reasons a proposed development of nine homes in East Devon fails to get the go-ahead.

Four candidates will be vying for a seat on East Devon District council in a by-election scheduled for next month.

A crucial and long-awaited study that predicts the extra sewerage capacity needed to cope with housing growth in one of Devon’s districts shows the firm has “quite a lot to prove”.

A mother and son have been sentenced for running a drug dealing operation at their home in Exeter.

The owners of a nightclub which has become an Exeter ‘institution’ over the last 50 years have been urged to do more to protect new university students.

A man has died in hospital following an altercation which took place in Ottery St Mary on 2 November. Detectives are investigating the incident and appealing for any relevant information to be reported to the police.

Police are investigating a fatal road traffic collision near Sidmouth, which involved a car and a pedestrian on Monday and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service were called to a major blaze at a disused police station in Exeter at 7:38pm this evening, after multiple reports of smoke issuing from the derelict building.

If you can spare two hours per month to support your local NHS and patients in Devon, they would love to hear from you.

Blue Islands Ltd has announced that it has suspended trading effective today - 14 November 2025, resulting in the immediate cancellation of all future flights, including services to and from Exeter Airport.

Pecorama, one of East Devon’s most cherished family attractions and home of the iconic Beer Heights Railway, has announced it will not reopen for the 2026 season.

More than 80 per cent of residents are satisfied with where they live in Exeter, according to the Residents’ Survey 2025.

Great grandmother Dorrie Pack, aged 98, is cycling 25 miles on a static bike to raise money for Hospiscare – making her the oldest person to take on a fundraising challenge for the charity.

South West Water has boosted the resilience of its wastewater network in Exmouth with a new 1.4km sewer that will help protect the town’s coastline and communities for years to come.

Ottery St Mary Town Council is pleased to announce the installation of three new electric vehicle (EV) chargers at the Station Community Hub, Mill Street.

A mural created by local school children from St Nicholas Primary School, in Exeter, has been unveiled at Honiton Road Park and Ride to celebrate the completion of recent improvements of the site.

The cause of the fire at St James Park which damaged a small area of the stadium is currently under investigation.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a fatal road traffic collision in Budleigh Salterton on Wednesday 12 November.

A major fire broke out at Exeter City Football Club’s St James Park late on Wednesday night, with dramatic footage showing flames tearing through a building

Scientists at the University of Exeter have been ranked among the most influential and respected in the world according to the latest edition of a global rankings programme.

Detectives are seeking witnesses and video footage after a man was seriously assaulted in Ottery St Mary on Thursday 6 November.

Officers investigating a collision near Honiton, which occurred in May 2024, are appealing for information about a gold SUV which may have been in the area.

Do you care about keeping your communities local roads safe and well-maintained?

People are being invited to share their feedback on Exeter’s Green Circle walking route by taking part in a short online survey.

One of Devon’s most picturesque passenger ferry crossings – the Topsham Ferry – is to close for the winter season.

Developers wanting to build 158 homes and a group of commercial buildings next to Exeter Chiefs’ Sandy Park rugby stadium have told city councillors their plan would deliver 1,000 jobs.

A Devon community is seeking to turn its food and drink venue into a formal restaurant and tea room.

Detectives investigating reports of indecent exposure and sexual assault in Exeter, are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Exwick Heights Primary School has been awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM), a prestigious national recognition of excellence in science teaching and leadership.

Police Officers are appealing for information to locate a 43-year-old wanted man from Seaton, Devon.

Salterton Drama Club (SDC) has announced its intention to raise £2 million to build an exciting new venue to replace the existing Salterton Playhouse in Budleigh Salterton, East Devon.

Rainbow Living, an Exeter-based, volunteer-led housing charity supporting adults with learning disabilities across Devon, has been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) - the highest national honour given to volunteer groups in the UK.

Research by the University of Exeter into the prostate cancer drug abiraterone has played a key role in the drug getting official recommendation, which could help thousands of people in the UK and save the NHS millions of pounds.

Two projects in Sidmouth and Honiton are hoping to raise climate change awareness to coordinate with the United Nations COP Conference in Brazil this month.

The first residents have moved into a new development of ultra-low energy council homes in Exeter.

The owners of one of Exeter’s best-known nightspots will find out next week (November 17) what steps the city council plans to take after a young woman became ill and collapsed following a suspected Freshers Week spiking incident.

Exeter City Council’s Housing Access Together (HAT) scheme is on the lookout for landlords with available homes.

Budleigh Salterton residents, businesses and visitors are being invited to attend the first public drop-in session for the Budleigh Salterton Beach & Cliff Management Plan (BCMP), led by South West Flood and Coastal and East Devon District Council (EDDC).

Teams from Exeter and south east Devon are combining to help protect wildlife on the River Exe.

A popular Devon pub at the heart of a major festival in its town will have to abide by two small rule changes when hosting acts during the week-long event.

The results are in! Seaton Wetlands has celebrated its most successful Sand Martin breeding season to date, marking a major milestone for East Devon District Council’s Countryside team and their ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation.

Children across Devon dived into reading recently as part of Libraries Unlimited’s ocean-themed Summer Book Quest – but it was The Beacon Primary School in Exmouth that truly made waves.

Wildlife on the Exe Estuary is set to benefit from an exciting new partnership between the South East Devon Wildlife (SEDW) team and the Exeter City Council Harbour Master’s Office.

Taxi fares in Exeter are going up by around 25 per cent after councillors heard how cabbies ‘go the extra mile’ for the city.

Small business owners have complained of a serious downturn in trade due to major roadworks that have temporarily shut their end of an Exeter street.

Exeter has a vital role to play in Devon’s forthcoming devolution deal despite being in the ‘second tier’ of councils involved.

Supporters across the heart of Devon opened their gardens to raise vital funds for hospice charity amidst funding deficit. 55 gardens opened during 2024 in support of Hospiscare, the local hospice charity for Exeter, Central and East Devon.