Exeter Science Park expansion plans take massive step forward as land swap with housing development agreed

East Devon District Council’s development management committee on Tuesday agreed to swap the currently consented land allocations for 150 new homes and 15,329 sqm of floorspace for the science parkCouncillors have agreed to a land swap between a proposed housing development and the next phase of the Exeter Science Park expansion plans.East Devon District Council’s development management committee on Tuesday agreed to swap the currently consented land allocations for 150 new homes and 15,329 sqm of floorspace for the science parkChris Rose, the council’s development manager, told councillors there were clear benefits with the planning applications which facilitate the land use swap, but that neither scheme was acceptable on their own.He told councillors that the proposed land use swap will help with the deliverability of the science park giving more control to the science park. The land proposed for the relocation of part of the Science Park is undeveloped but has an extant outline planning permission as part of the wider Redhayes development.Mr Gardner said that the expansion would provide accommodation for 1,400 extra people, and so the target of 2,100 employees on the site by 2025 should be reached, and that eventually, 3,500 would be on site by 2035.Mr Rose told the committee that the NHS had requested a £216,000 contribution due to the impact of the development, which the council had said was justified, but because the residential development is subsidising the lower land purchase price for the Science Park, its viability had yet to be tested.Cllr Mike Allen said that getting 3,500 high quality jobs into the area was something the council should be supporting, while Cllr Brian Bailey added that the land swap was sensible and would continue the success of the science park.The plans were unanimously approved, subject to the contribution required from the NHS to be delegated to the committee chairman if the £216,000 is not considered viable.