Topsham Road sale plans face opposition from residents and councillors

Plans to sell part of Devon County Council’s County Hall grounds in Exeter have sparked concern among residents and councillors. 

They warn that the loss of green space in a conservation area could set a precedent for piecemeal disposal of public land.

Devon County Council said the land represents 0.6 hectares of the five-hectare County Hall site, including 0.2 hectares of public open space. 

The council added that key walking routes would be retained, many trees are protected, and all public consultation responses will be considered before any decision is made.

Devon County Council (DCC) declared the land surplus in October 2023. Of the site, 0.23 hectares were previously occupied by buildings, leaving 0.37 hectares of open land. 

Part of this is classed as public open space, requiring a public notice before any sale.

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A proposed sale was considered by the council cabinet in February 2024 but was deferred. Since then, DCC has been working with Exeter City Council to include the site in the emerging Local Plan, which is currently open to consultation. 

A further public notice has confirmed that all objections, new or previously submitted, will be reviewed before a final decision.

A spokesperson for the council said: “This is a repeat of the public consultation that ran in 2024, and any objections previously received will be considered as part of the current review.

“All consultation responses will be fully considered before any final decision is made.”

Campaigners argue the issue is not simply about one plot of land, but about the absence of a long-term vision for one of Exeter’s largest civic estates.

GP and St Leonards resident Will Duffin, who has been closely involved in opposing the sale, said the proposal appeared disconnected from any wider strategy for County Hall.

“This sale doesn’t appear to be part of a coherent plan for the site as a whole,” he said. 

“When the Matford buildings were demolished, planning conditions required the land to be grassed over for five years. During that time it has become a genuinely valued green space.”

Mr Duffin added that awareness of the proposal had largely come through statutory notices rather than active engagement, and that many residents felt excluded from meaningful discussion about the site’s future.

A previous council report recorded 133 objections to the disposal. 

Common concerns included the site’s location within a conservation area, the presence of protected trees, pressure on local infrastructure, and the belief that alternative approaches should be explored to address the council’s financial challenges.

Green Party Exeter city councillor Andy Ketchin, who represents Newtown and St Leonards, has urged Devon County Council to pause the sale, saying residents were “hugely disappointed” by the proposal.

“The site is not earmarked for development in the Exeter Local Plan consultation,” he said. 

“There has already been significant housing growth in this area, and further development risks increasing pressure on green space and local services.”

Cllr Ketchin also questioned whether the future of County Hall was being considered in the round, suggesting that closer collaboration between the county and city councils could deliver better outcomes.

“With both councils facing accommodation and financial pressures, there may be opportunities to explore co-location or more efficient use of existing buildings, rather than selling land in isolation,” he said.

Local Green Party campaigner Lynn Wetenhall said the debate highlighted broader questions about how public assets are managed.

“County Hall is reportedly between 70 and 80 per cent empty much of the time,” she said.

 “Instead of selling land parcel by parcel, there needs to be a root-and-branch review of how the estate (buildings and green space together) could serve social, economic and environmental needs.”

She said residents had already put forward ideas for community use of the land, drawing comparisons with initiatives such as Park Life Heavitree, which has helped protect and revitalise green space through local involvement.

Campaigners say the controversy reflects wider tensions facing Exeter, balancing financial pressures and housing demand against the city’s heritage, green spaces and identity as a “garden city”.

The council has confirmed that the land is not currently on the market and that no expressions of interest will be accepted while the decision is pending. 

The matter will be reviewed by the land and property committee later this month, which will decide whether to proceed or refer the issue back to cabinet.