Green councillor Diana Moore has expressed disappointment at the decision by councillors on the planning committee of Exeter City Council to grant planning permission for a new £40m retail park on the edge of Exeter [1]. She acknowledges shops and services are needed to support the growth in homes on the east side of the city but says this is a poor scheme.
Responding, Cllr Moore said:
“This is clearly a car-based development which goes totally against the Council’s pledges to address the climate emergency, tackle poor air quality and congestion. This is proven by the fact that the council has granted permission in the full knowledge that there will be over 350 parking spaces and two drive thru restaurants.
“The Pinhoe area needs new shops and services to support a growing population, but Greens believe small scale developments, run by local businesses, that people can easily and safely walk and cycle to and use public transport to access would serve the neighbourhood far better. This is a large-scale development stuffed full of the usual corporate suspects designed as an out of town retail park not a neighbourhood centre. It is hard to see how this genuinely benefits the people or environment of east Exeter.”
[1] See Devonlive report here