Phase 3 of Matford Park is designed to meet an identified shortage of employment land in Exeter and has widespread support from the local business community.
Last night (April 26) city council members resolved to approve an application from developer Prego Developments Ltd for more than half a million square feet (46,500 sq m) of mixed employment space on 37acres (15.14 hectares) of land between the existing Matford estate and the A379.
Nick Hole, director of Exeter-based property company Eagle One, whch is managing the planning application on behalf of the developer, said: “Exeter and East Devon’s status as a Government-designated Growth Point makes this area a major focus for economic development.
“Phase 3 of Matford Park will help ensure that this potential is fully realised by providing a high quality environment that will make a substantial contribution to meeting the future employment needs of the city.”
Derek Phillips, chairman of Exeter of Exeter Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the council’s decision: “We fully supported this application because it will help address a pressing need for more employment space and with the economic recovery tentatively underway the timing couldn’t be better.”
Tim Jones, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Business Council, added: “This is the number one scheme that Exeter needs to secure future employment space in the short term. The success of the Marsh Barton and Matford area has been one of the principal drivers of Exeter’s economy for many years and this extension is a crucial part of the city’s future.”
The proposed development will include a mixture of offices, production space and warehousing with a ‘green corridor’ along the southern perimeter, dedicated wetland areas to the east, high quality landscaping and cycle and footpaths throughout.
A design guide for the site will ensure that it is developed in a co-ordinated form. Buildings on prominent frontages, such as those facing Bad Homburg Way on the western boundary, will be of a high quality, contemporary design, suitable as headquarters for company offices.
The developers are also working closely with the city council to reduce the carbon footprint of the development and will design the buildings to be able to connect to the heat network from Viridor’s planned energy ‘waste to heat’ plant at Marsh Barton, which is due to come on stream in 2013.
Detailed plans for the phased development of the scheme will be the subject of future reserved matters applications to the city council and work could start on site this summer.
Ends
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