Plans in for Royal Clarence restoration

Plans to restore Exeter’s iconic Royal Clarence building have taken an important step forward with the submission of a planning application.The grade II-listed venue, which occupies a prominent site facing Exeter Cathedral, was devastated by a fire in 2016.Proposals to sensitively restore the 18th century building and enhance its setting in Cathedral Yard have been prepared by Akkeron Group, on behalf of South West Lifestyle Brands.The plans, which include creating restaurant and bar space to make the building publicly accessible, are the result of more than 12 months of detailed consultation with conservation architects, heritage consultants, Historic England and Exeter City Council.Details were first unveiled in December.The £17m scheme is firmly focused on restoring the historic building to its former glory by reconstructing the original façade and exterior, and retaining as much of the building’s history as possible.It would feature 23 apartments with a mix of two and three-beds located on the upper four storeys, including three duplex apartments over two floors.These would sit above a bar, restaurant and function rooms on the ground floor.The then-owners obtained planning permission in 2017 to create a new hotel after the blaze, including an additional upper storey, but work did not progress and in August 2020, the site was sold to South West Lifestyle Brands.The consented replacement hotel development was found to be “significantly unviable”, with a forecast loss of £17m. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic reinforced this position.Direct economic benefits of the new plans include the creation of 180 full-time jobs in Exeter during the construction phase, as well as 44 roles in commercial activity once the scheme completes.