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| IKEA Development sketch |
Following yesterday's approval
of outline planning permission for large IKEA and Morrison's developments in
Exeter someone posed a question to me. It regards, not perhaps these specific
developments but the over, and there are many, developments on the fringes of
Exeter.
It has been said many times
that developments such as the Science Park, Sky Park and Cranbrook are of great
benefit to Exeter. Yet these sites, close as they are to Exeter, are actually
under the jurisdiction of East Devon District Council (EDDC); consequently,
Exeter City Council (ECC) will collect no council tax or business rate revenue
from them.
Neither ECC nor EDDC have
confirmed to me what new constant revenues are expected either directly or
indirectly from these developments but surely there could be an entirely adverse
effect on Exeter’s economy?
I don't believe that this is the case. I believe that the benefits far outnumber and outweigh any disadvantages for Exeter. In order to know that you love something you need to know what you hate, I think this principle of need is important here.
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| Cranbrook Development sketch |
Firstly, to house the number
of employees that will eventually be working at Science Park and Sky Park will
require a huge amount of properties. The new town of Cranbrook will go some way
to fulfilling this need but it will by no means be a complete solution.
Therefore some of these workers will need to commute a little further, this
would inevitably include from within Exeter City Council’s jurisdiction. As a result ECC will not completely miss out
on a revenue increase from the new workforce.
Similarly, a 500 home
development is planned on the other side of Exeter, in the Exwick area. This
too is outside the reach of ECC and is under control of Teingbridge District Council. In the same way that the workers at Science
Park and Sky Park will need somewhere to live, residents of the new satellite communities
will need somewhere to work and, indeed, spend. Exeter of course provides
plenty of opportunities to indulge both of these needs.
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| Guildhall Shopping Centre Development sketch |
The new developments of IKEA
and Morrison’s, alongside the redevelopment of Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping Centre and the continued vibrancy of the city’s high street help to demonstrate
the unbreakable linkage between Exeter and its neighbouring communities.
Cranbrook and Exwick would struggle to survive in their present forms if it
weren’t for their proximity to Exeter. Meanwhile, Exeter would be unable to
proceed with its impressive development programme if the opportunity for
development nearby was unavailable.
It is foreseeable that,
perhaps within my life, the boundaries of Exeter will become blurred or even
redrawn as they have been in the not too distant past - Pinhoe is an example of
this. However, I do not personally believe that Exeter is any worse off as a result
of development on its borders, indeed for them not to happen might well be
Exeter’s downfall.
