Pete Martin (CTID)
Very well known Exeweb poster
However, I do have a few questions and as I am unable to get to the exhibition, I would be glad if someone who is 'in the know' could answer them please:
1) There seems to be a lack of car parking space... if 500 flats are to be built and say, for arguments sake, one on five has a car, where would they park? I presume car parking would be under the flats? and on of matchdays, what are the plans?
2) The demolition of the St James' centre would lead to the loss of the centre spot, red square and other bars. Where would these bars be relocated to? I presume our present hospitality offerings would be incorportated into a new stand on the OG side, but what about the bars for the ordinary matchday going fan?
- As I understand it there is no intention to provide any parking for the student accommodation, other than a few service, delivery and drop-off points. New students at EU are encouraged not to bring cars to Exeter and I think it may even be a formal requirement of the Uni that they don't. If you look at the student accommodation both on the old Elmfield Nurseries site opposite Prince of Wales road and the even newer blocks down by Johnson's dry cleaners in New North Road you will see they have next-to-no parking on site.
At the moment there are approximately 88 parking spaces at SJP and the plans are for that to remain virtually the same. Being a city centre site with a short walk to buses, a train station next door and plenty of city centre paid parking, there is just no need for lots of parking. This both ticks the "sustainable development" box in terms of planning policy and helps to mollify the opinion of local residents in terms of traffc impact on the local road network.
- Of course there will be facilities for the ordinary match-going fan (and substantially upgraded from the current offering). The plan would be anyway to make the facilities attractive enough to encourage those matchday patrons to use the facilities on other than matchdays. Every avenue to generate income for the club is being and will be considered. Please remember that this is a consultation and not a final design that will be sumitted for planning permission. All of the elements will be in the final proposal but the detail could be different from what is being displayed now, as a result of comments from the council, local people and supporters. That is the whole point of the consultation.