City centre car park for sale as co-living homes expected

»»A MAJOR car park in Exeter city centre has been put up for sale as the site is expected to become co-living flats.

The Mary Arches Street car park is being marketed by international real estate company Avison Young, which describes it as a “development site”. The price is only available on application.

At an Exeter City Council executive committee meeting in December 2023, it was agreed that the multi-storey and the surface car park should be sold.

The dilapidated car park had been due to close in early 2023 and be demolished in November 2023, as part of proposals for a residential-led, mixed-use development of around 100 homes. These plans were being overseen by the council-owned development company Exeter City Living, but fell through when the company collapsed.

The council said it hopes the sale of the car park, as well as land at Clifton Hill, will recover its loan to Exeter City Living.

A report to the authority’s executive had recommended the sites were sold without restrictions to bring in the most money. That was rejected by councillors, who decided there should be restrictions to prevent the site being turned into student accommodation.

In December 2023, council leader Phil Bialyk said: “The people of Exeter need new homes, so we will bring these sites forward for new homes.

“Mary Arches is right in the city centre, it is sustainable and it is a great location to create new homes for the people of Exeter.

“At Clifton Hill, I made an undertaking four years ago to say we were going to preserve the green space behind the leisure centre. It will not be purpose-built student accommodation.”