Exeter City Council’s Executive has agreed to sell a small area of land which would allow access for the delivery of much-needed affordable housing in Exeter.
Social housing provider LiveWest wants to create 100% affordable housing at a greenfield site off Pendragon Road, in the Mincinglake and Whipton ward.
The 12-acre site is privately owned and already has outline planning permission for a residential development.
The permission was granted on appeal after an application for up to 100 new homes – half of which were classed as affordable – was previously refused by the planning committee. A second planning application was subsequently approved by the council’s planning committee in September 2024.
In July 2024, Executive decided not to sell land bordering Pendragon Road, which would allow access for the development of the site. That decision is being challenged, with a case due to be heard in the High Court in July.
But at a special Executive meeting on Thursday, members heard that a new proposal has now come forward to deliver 100% affordable housing at the site.
The council would also retain ownership of a strip of land surrounding the housing site to ensure no future encroachment onto green space is possible without the council’s agreement.
Council Leader Phil Bialyk said delivering affordable homes is a key strategic priority. The council has adopted a ‘brownfield first’ approach to housing to help preserve the city’s green spaces – but it is not always possible to deliver affordable homes in this way.
Cllr Bialyk said: “It is the right thing for us to reconsider our previous decision not to sell our land for access to a privately owned site, which already has planning permission, now that circumstances have changed.
“We are now in a position to ensure that this site delivers 100% affordable housing, with 50% social rent and 50% shared ownership, through a social housing provider.
“Importantly, we will retain ownership of strips of land which will prevent any further encroachment onto green space.”
Members also heard that planning permission associated with the site includes public access to previously restricted green space.
Following discussion and presentations by officers, members of the Executive unanimously backed the recommendation to agree terms for the sale of amenity land at Pendragon Road, granting access to facilitate delivery of new affordable homes.
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