General FAQs
There is demand from first year students for self-catered, modern bedrooms on campus.
The University is seeking to increase student accommodation on Streatham Campus by building new and refurbished, student living facilities that provide an excellent on-campus living experience and reduces pressure on the University seeking third party accommodation providers in the city.
We are planning to refurbish Block A to E of Birks Grange Village to create en-suite, self-catered rooms for students.
It is not possible to refurbish all of the existing buildings to create higher density, modern, accommodation on campus.
We currently have demand from first year students for modern, en-suite, on-campus accommodation.
Many students in their second and third years use city centre accommodation, commonly referred to as Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA).
The construction work is taking place during normal working hours, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and may also occur on Saturdays between 8am and 1pm.
Operatives and banksmen may arrive on site from 7am.
Construction work has begun in the Clydesdale, Nash and Birks Grange Village area of Streatham Campus this summer 2025.
We expect students to move in to Phase One of the new accommodation by September 2027, and Phase 2 by September 2028.
Construction work has begun in the Clydesdale, Nash and Birks Grange Village area of Streatham Campus this summer 2025.
We expect students to move in to Phase One of the new accommodation by September 2027, and Phase 2 by September 2028.
As part of the planning application, in 2021 the University and UPP commissioned a Detailed Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Survey and Risk Assessment, by Brimstone Site Investigation Ltd. This provides detailed information on the location of potential UXO’s in the area. The Brimstone Risk Assessment sets out mitigation measures to reduce UXO disturbance risk during the excavation of the West Park and Birks Grange Village area. Following discussion with our neighbouring community at the West Park Local Resident’s Information Session in August, a subsequent West Park and Birks Grange Village Unexploded Ordnance Risk Mitigation Plan was commissioned to provide additional detail.
The Brimstone Site Investigation Ltd reports can be accessed using the following links: West Park Detailed Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Survey and Risk Assessment
West Park Unexploded Ordnance Risk Mitigation Plan
We have included a summary of the main points from the Mitigation Plan below.
We expect the Brimstone surveys and mitigation measures to begin from early October 2025 until February 2026 and notification will be provided when concluded.
The following mitigation measures will be implemented by the construction team to reduce the potential risk of UXOs in the area:
- Bouygues UK (BYUK) will have an experienced and qualified UXO engineer from Brimstone on site during the ground preparations to keep a ‘watching brief’ to monitor excavations on any previously undisturbed ground. The engineer will monitor all earth being lifted out the ground and then inspect the next section of ground that is to be removed. This method of investigation prevents the machine operator from striking a potential UXO.
- Brimstone will undertake intrusive surveys by inserting probes into the ground to detect buried magnetic anomalies. All pile locations will be surveyed prior to piling starting to reduce the risk of striking a UXO. If Brimstone recognise a magnetic anomaly with the characteristics of UXO, they will then methodically unearth the area to establish exactly what had been highlighted by the probe. This process is in line with industry guided standards.
In terms of an emergency response if a UXO is discovered in the area, the first step is to deploy a joint services EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) engineer to site, where a dynamic risk assessment would be undertaken, considering the variants of size, volatility, location. This would then provide a methodology for safe disposal of the UXO either on or off site. Brimstone have all the experience, qualifications, licensing, and ability to complete their own disposals. Brimstone would initially engage with the military upon confirmation of a UXO on site and agree with them whether the disposal is completed by the MOD or Brimstone, again this would be dependant of the dynamic risk assessment around the UXO.
A West Park (including Birks Grange) project insurance policy has been purchased which covers UPP, Bouygues UK, the University of Exeter and its neighbours for any damage to property or injury arising in the event that an Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) is made safe, detonated or explosion of munitions of war occur in or around the West Park project site on Streatham Campus, up to limit of £150m for any one occurrence. It is a condition of the insurance policy that the presence of such munitions does not result from any act of terrorism or a state of war in the UK at the current time.
As part of the West Park plans, we are creating a new footpath on Streatham Drive to improve safety in the area.
On-street parking on Streatham Drive has closed from Monday 15 September to construct the new footpath. Some of the on-street car parking bays will reopen once the footpath is complete and some parking bays will remain closed to support safety in the area during the project.
As with all University estate projects, mitigation measures are put in place to minimise dust and noise from a construction site where possible. This may include installing hoarding around the site, damping down areas to reduce dust and planning noisy works appropriately.
We work with contractors that are part of the Considerate Constructors Scheme, to ensure they have high standards in managing risks, protecting the environment and positive relationships with the local community.
We are posting regular updates on expected activity and disruption in the area on the project webpage.
The access routes and drop off locations into Birks Grange Village and the Clydesdale areawill remain as they are now.
During the construction phase of the project, a transport management plan will be in place that will outline the movement of vehicles and deliveries in the area. This plan will be reviewed under Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS), which is a national Standard that requires all stakeholders in construction to take responsibility for health & safety beyond the hoardings. It is also inspected alongside the same standard as the Considerate Constructor's Scheme ensuring that all contractors are following the mitigation measurements which have been agreed.
Enhancing biodiversity and ecology in the area is an important aspect of the project. We are working with our development partners UPP to retain much of the mature woodland, plant double the amount of hedgerow that is currently in the area and plant over 200 trees. The new planting will include a mix of species to enhance biodiversity, and wildlife habitats will be greatly improved, including the installation of bat, bird and hedgehog boxes, and wood and stone piles to provide further habitats.
The project team will provide regular updates on the project web page, in letters at key points in the project and at the University’s resident liaison meetings (a termly meeting with local Councillors and Resident Association Leads).
We met with local residents before construction work started on site in August and we will meet again at regular points throughout the project.
If you have any questions or concerns please email westpark@exeter.ac.uk and a member of the project team will get back to you.
We are planning to put noticeboards in the area to provide regular updates.
To be kept up-to-date on the project, please sign up to our mailing list via the registration form here.
How will you keep University colleagues and students updated on the plans and construction activity?
The project team will provide regular updates on the project web page and in emails to key University stakeholders.
We will also provide updates in the colleague Weekly Bulletin and student newsletter at key milestones in the project or when significant disruption is expected in the area.
If you have any questions or concerns please email WestPark@exeter.ac.uk and a member of the project team will get back to you.
To be kept up-to-date on the project, please sign up to our mailing list via the registration form here.
The contractor Bouygues UK has some designated parking within contractor compounds on campus close to the construction areas, and a designated temporary car park will be created on Rennes Drive for contractors and subcontractors.
As part of pre-site registration and induction the contractors and subcontractors will be told not to park on local residential streets.
Construction site deliveries will have clear instructions to ensure they make it to site smoothly.
The contractors are installing signage in the area and on nearby residential roads to direct deliveries appropriately.
The project team will consider wayfinding as part of the development project.
The University and its consultants continue to work with Devon County Council to improve the quality of local roads.
CCTV is installed on the construction site and the University Estates Patrol will be on call for any security issues.
Lighting will be used in darker winter months to support safety in the area. The contractor will consider the position of the lighting to reduce any impact on neighbouring properties.
The West Park project is being constructed in phases. The accommodation block planned for location on the grounds compound currently in phase 3. We are considering the financial viability of phase 3 of the development and we are currently unable to confirm timings of this phase.
The relocation of the Grounds Compound to the top of Rennes Drive is currently under review. We will share details when we have a future plan and programme for these sites.