The long ongoing saga of the redevelopment of Exeter's bus station has now taken a new twist with the unveiling of new £300m ambitious plans for the city centre site.
The latest proposal includes the creation of 250 homes, two hotels, offices, a new civic centre, more food and drink outlets, and possibly a multi-purpose performance venue at Exeter Bus Station, Sidwell Street and Bampfylde Street.
The time scale Exeter City Council says it is looking at is having it built within five years.
However, many residents who either support or oppose the scheme, say the will 'believe it when they see it'. A major blow for the council and its vision for the site came in September 2017 when Crown Estate pulled out if its Princesshay extension plans due to ‘market conditions’.
Undeterred, the council is back with even more costly and ambitious plans. Councillors will be asked to approve an additional £11.88m borrowing on top of the £39.92m already approved to build the St Sidwell’s Point leisure centre and the new bus station.
Jav Sharif, the manager of Moniques Outlet in Paris Street which currently has short term lease due to being located within the redevelopment area, said: "We want a permanent base in Exeter and we had a couple of options we looked into in the summer but as we are here already we have been told we can have it until March on a rolling six-month lease.
"This has all been going on for a while and the new plans won't go through straight away and in the meantime other units are empty such as Peacocks and the landlords and council are losing money. I don't think the council know what is going on themselves.
"I live in Cardiff and every city is trying to be rejuvenated to make it busy, but I don't think we need a new swimming pool when we've got the Pyramids, or a new theatre. Everyone has mixed views but who will benefit from it? It will be the council who think they know better. They should ask the people of Exeter what their needs are."
Exeter City Council Pool stories
Shop assistant Mariam Samman, 22, said: "Other cities have more that what we have and we should have them. It would be nice to make Exeter a bit bigger being the capital of Devon.
"I think we have enough swimming pools in Exeter but having more shops, restaurants and coffee shops is a good idea. I'm not sure about the performance venue, but it all looks nicer than what is here."
Also in agreement the development is good for Exeter is Christine Humphries, 72, of Beer. She said: "I think it's very good for Exeter. The South West gets lost now and again in different things and this redevelopment will attract more people to the city. People will come here because we have beautiful countryside.
"I would rather the money go towards animals of children's care, but I think it will be very good, and I think having social housing within it is very, very important."
What's included: The Exeter Bus Station plan
The vision for the site includes:
- 250 houses on the current Civic Centre site
- 250 built to rent homes on Sidwell Street
- A ten-storey, four star hotel with 175 rooms opposite John Lewis
- A budget hotel at the far end of Sidwell Street
- Almost 40,000 sq ft of retail units fronting Sidwell Street
- The relocation of the Civic Centre
- A new Office Quarter, including blocks over eight storeys
- More than 15,000 sq ft of food and drink outlets
- Flexible working space alongside the leisure centre
- A new square and civic space in Paris Street
- The potential for a multi-purpose performance venue, with a capacity of around 1,200 seated or up to 2,500 standing
- Paris Street will be pedestrianised as part of the plan
Cheriton Fiztpaine resident Brenda Fowler said: "I can't see the sense in having a swimming pool and cinema within spitting distance of others ones. What I would like to see is a bus station where the current one is. It's stupid having to catch a National Express on the main street."
Bernadette Dow, 70, of Seaton, said: "I come to Exeter every couple of months or so and I love Exeter. I wouldn't go anywhere else but the bus station is horrible. I hate it and many people do.
"The new redevelopment is brilliant - if it happens as it's been going on so long. Many of the shops are empty up near the bus station which is a shame as I used to have a coffee in a couple of them and they had to move away because of the plans which then didn't happen. For them to have gone is such a shame.
"Having a new theatre would be good as so many people come to Exeter who like going to the theatre. I don't know about the swimming pool, but it's obviously good to have something for children."
A regular bus user, who did not want to be named, said the council's first priority shouldn't be the future but addressing the lack of seating in the current bus station. At present there is only one wooden bench.
She said: "A lot of us who use the bus station are old and we want to be able to sit down while we wait. Having one bench is not enough."
A Buckfastleigh bus passenger, who revisited Exeter this week said she wouldn't be coming back again in a hurry.
She said: "I think the council has ruined Exeter to be honest. I shan't be coming again for ages. I used to do a lot of shopping at this end of town but it's all gone. I've seen the same happen in Newton Abbot.
"I'm sure there's better causes the council could put the money towards rather than spending all this money on the redevelopment."
Details of the vision, which also includes the potential to relocate the Civic Centre, will be discussed by the council’s Leisure Complex and Bus Station Programme Board on Tuesday, November 27.
