Duckes Meadow changing facility
Duckes Meadow changing facility
Visual of proposed new facility
Demolition of the existing building
Visual of proposed new facility
The University is proposing to improve the sports changing facility at Duckes Meadow Sports Field, on Salmon Pool Lane in Exeter.
The current facility is at the end of it’s economic life.
Building a new facility will allow us to provide a range of flexible changing rooms, improved access, increased usable space and improved layout for quicker turnaround times on busy days. The facility will include team changing rooms, referee changing rooms, gender neutral and private facilities, as well as welfare and social space, more locker spaces and spectator toilets.
The new building will be more energy efficient to reduce CO2 emissions, including solar panels on the roof and be heated by air source heat pumps.
The car park will be altered to incorporate an increased amount of cycle parking, accessible bays and emergency vehicle access.
The new facility will improve student experience and enhance participation in University sports.
Investment in our sports facilities is key to progressing our Strategy 2030 ambitions to support the health and wellbeing of our students.
The new building is proposed to remain within the current footprint of the building and be two storey.
Public engagement event in November 2024
The University held an engagement event on Monday 4 November at Duckes Meadow Sports Field to share the proposal and gather feedback on the plans. You can view the display from the engagement event materials here: Duckes Meadow changing facility engagement display
We have recently received planning approval from Exeter City Council for the proposed new changing facility and we expect to start work on site in autumn 2025 (subject to change).
If you have any queries about the proposal, you can get in touch with the team at campusdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
Project update
Following local engagement on the proposal in November 2024, we have received approval from Exeter City Council to proceed with our plans and we expect our appointed contractor, BVLR Projects, to start on the Duckes Meadow site in late September 2025 and complete by autumn 2026.
The new building will remain within the footprint of the existing building, and the construction site offices and parking will be contained within the car park of the current facility. A number of on-street car parking spaces on Salmon Pool Lane will be suspended on weekdays for the duration of the project to allow deliveries to the construction site and to maintain safety in the area.
In the next few weeks the construction team will begin setting up the site, which will include installing hoarding, preparation activity and the delivery of welfare facilities. A tree is required to be removed as its proximity to the building means that we cannot protect it during the demolition activity. We plan to plant more trees and shrubs as part of the project to enhance biodiversity and ecology in the area.
We expect demolition of the existing building to take place in the coming weeks (subject to change), using a concrete pulverizer (with a grab arm). This will create some ongoing medium noise in the area. Dust will be dampened down on site to reduce it spreading to nearby areas.
New fencing on the Duckes Meadow sports pitches has been installed this summer 2025 to provide enhanced security and protect the quality of the pitches for University sports training and matches. While the construction work is taking place on the new facility a temporary storage unit and toilets will be located on the sports pitches for students, visiting teams and officials to use by mid October.
The Exeter Park Run will continue to have access to the Duckes Meadow sports pitches.
Now the fencing is complete, we expect to start replanting trees on the footpath next to the sports pitches this autumn, in the place where the unstable poplar trees were felled. We will plant a mixture of oak, wild cherry and thorns to create a nectar rich hedgerow. This will create enriched biodiversity and enhanced habitats in the area.
If you have any questions or queries about the project please email the project team at: campusdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
Contact us
Darren Davis is the Project Manager for the project.
If you have any questions or queries about the proposal please email the project team at: campusdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk