Attempt to reduce affordable homes in major scheme

A developer wants to reduce the number of affordable units in a massive development of student flats and studio homes in Exeter.

The developer got planning permission in December to build more than 800 units on the old police station and magistrate's court site on Heavitree Road including 83 affordable homes.

But the developer has now gone back to the council saying it wants to reduce the number of affordable units to 39 as it is redeveloping a brownfield site.

Council officers say there should be 60 affordable units and are bringing the matter back to the city council's planning committee for a decision on 1 June.

Planning officers at Exeter City Council said the new plans to be considered on Monday were exactly the same as the previous plans apart from the number of affordable units.

Affordable homes refers to studio homes that would be available at about 80% of the market value.

The council report said the developer, NCO (Seven) Limited, had not previously asked for a reduced level of affordable housing to allow for vacant building credit (VBC) - a national policy to support the re-use of brownfield land.

But the report says there is "disagreement between officers and the applicant in respect of how VBC should be calculated on this scheme, and what the resultant level of affordable housing should be".

Permission was given in December for a total of 399 student flats and 414 co-living studios on the site which is owned by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

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