Exeter & East Devon Growth Point & City Centre regeneration
Karime Hassan, Chief Executive & Growth Director, Exeter City Council Our Journey from a county town to a knowledge based city The need for Princesshay
Out of town shopping proposals of the late 1980’s
City Centres first – 1993 onwards
Exeter’s response
‘Choosing’ the Princesshay area for regeneration
Would it be viable? Exeter City Centre before redevelopment of Princesshay
Western Way
High Street/Queen Street
Princesshay Princesshay Scheme Content
Partnership with Land Securities
530,000 ft2 mixed-use scheme including:
130,000 ft2 Debenhams anchor store 6 MSU’s - 107,000 ft2 60 new shops - 200,000 ft2 122 city centre apartments Restaurants and cafes extensive public realm/ landscape improvements Exeter City Centre – Princesshay 2007 New Retail Model emerging
Flagship Store Full range [Largest, most appropriate for market] Smaller stores [satellite locations] Complimented by Transactional internet sites Benefits to retailers Reduces cost of stores: less rents rates, staff, operating costs, delivery costs and less risk of cannibalising sales Since recession
. Internet has brought structural change for retailers
. Developments will be demand led; retailers will be far more selective . UK representation in top 50 locations . Deliver appropriate scale . Right time, right size, right location . Priority is to manage and mitigate risk . Greater reliance on sustainable mix of uses: retail, leisure, restaurants, cinema.
. …We have to create an experience Guildhall Redevelopment of bus & coach station site 2017 The Crown Estate & TIA Henderson St Sidwell’s Point, redevelopment of Bus & Coach Station Exeter City Council Urban Design for Successful Cities: Alexandros Washburn at TEDx
Planning to meet Exeter’s long term housing and employment need
1991 - Initial concept
1996 - Devon Structure Plan
2006 - East Devon Local Plan 15,000 objections
2010 - OPP for 2,900 homes
2011 - RMs for 1,120 homes
2012 - Successful launch First residents move in
2015 - 1,000 occupations (Summer 2015) Town Council elections Live applications for 4,000+ homes
Key Ingredients : the hard stuff
• Shared vision
• Plan led growth, development and strategies
• Clear commitment to a growth strategy (growth point 30% uplift)
• Partnership working (meaningful collaboration)
• Governance arrangements & Resources
• Give up some control for greater influence
• Focus on addressing barriers to growth • Enabling culture essential …own the problems
• De-risk projects to secure investment : Front funding big ticket items, requires private sector like approach to development
• Blending of funding requires leaders to act as municipal entrepreneurs
• Working with regional partners and government - doing what we say we will do.