Exeter’s Labour-led City Council has decided to sell off part of the Grace Road Playing Fields – green space which is part of the River Valley Park. The sale is to a company who want to build a district heating plant on the site. [1]
Green Councillor Andy Ketchin is challenging this decision. Cllr Ketchin says:
“There are several reasons why this is a bad decision. The Riverside Valley Park has to cater to increased resident numbers – 3000 people in the Water Lane development alone.
“No case has been made to justify selling off part of Riverside Valley Park – it is a purely commercial decision which is against the Council’s own planning policies to protect the Valley Parks. There is no record of alternative sites having been explored, but there are brownfield sites that would work as well or better for a heat-exchange plant.
“This site, if developed, will also require over 20,000 tonnes of aggregate to landscape a sensitive part of the Exe river flood plain.”
Cllr Ketchin has identified several suitable brownfield sites. He has been told by the Labour leadership that other sites have not been considered by the council. He added:
“With Exeter one of the fastest growing cities in the UK, we need to double down on protecting our recreational spaces, our parks, and our rivers. This seems like a fantastic project in a terrible location. I am challenging the Labour leadership to review their lazy and opportunistic decision making, and re-engage with the developer to find a better solution.”
Notes
[1] Exeter City Council Executive Committee meeting 9th July 2024. https://committees.exeter.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2500