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West Park Student Residences Project

West Park Student Residences Project

The University is seeking to increase the density of accommodation and in so doing demolish outdated accommodation in the Clydesdale and Nash Grove area and build new, modern, purpose-built student living facilities.

This will reduce pressure on the University seeking third party accommodation providers in the city and allow the institution to continue offering students an excellent on-campus living experience.

The project will also look at the conversion of catered to self-catered accommodation blocks in the Birks Grange Village complex.

This will include redeveloping the reception, catered dining halls and the Market Place Village Shop (Birks Grange Central Block) into further accommodation and amenity space including study, social and in-house commercial space. The catered Birks Grange blocks A-E will undergo a refurbishment and will provide modern self-catered accommodation once completed.

New accommodation is also proposed on the site of the University’s Grounds Compound, which will be relocated from the west of campus to the north east, at the top of Rennes Drive.

UPP have been appointed as the preferred contractor to design, build, fund and operate the new accommodation.

As the appointed contractor, UPP will refine the designs and plans for the new development, complete planning requirements and finalise the funding of the scheme.

Project update

Next steps

Following the West Park Reserved Matters Planning Application (ref: 22/1746/RES) decision being deferred at the Exeter City Council (ECC) planning committee meeting on Thursday 25 May 2023, we are working with our partners UPP to review the feedback received.

A decision on the new Grounds Compound Reserved Matters Planning Application (ref: 22/1735/RES) is also deferred.

The projects are both subject to final University Council approval.

We will provide an update on the timescales for the projects soon.

If you have an questions about the project, please get in touch with the project team at WestPark@exeter.ac.uk 

University colleagues can take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions, or alternatively speak to your line manager. 

 

Public consultation

A public consultation on the detailed designs for the West Park student residences and new Ground Compound took place in November and Decemeber 2022. Please see below the information that was shared during the consultation period.

West Park Consultation Boards

GCRD Consultation Boards 

Design Update – It is noted that three of the new residential blocks have been reduced in height due to the removal of some of the roof top plant rooms, and therefore these blocks have lower roof levels than the maximum allowed under the Outline Planning Consent.

Contact us

Peter Bilverstone is the Project Manager for the West Park project.

If you have any queries or questions about the project please email WestPark@exeter.ac.uk and we will get back to you.