Glossary of key terms

Several key terms are used within the document and defined below.

Active frontages

Building frontages where there is an active visual engagement between those on the street and those on the ground and upper floors of buildings.

Active travel

Modes of travel which include a level of activity including walking, wheeling and cycling.

Biodiversity net gain

An approach to the development of land which makes sure the habitat for wildlife is in a measurably better state than it was before development.

BREEAM

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology.

Design Code

A set of illustrated design requirements which provide specific, detailed parameters for the physical development of a site or area.

Development Framework

An illustrative spatial overview of development comprising information on mobility, land use and green infrastructure.

Future Homes Standard

Central government residential building standard which aims to reduce carbon emissions from new homes by 75-80% over current building regulations. Currently due to become mandatory in 2025.

Green & Blue Infrastructure

A planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services.

Healthy Streets Approach

A human-centred framework for embedding public health in transport, public realm and planning.

High Line

Potential future strategic active travel, and flood access and egress route on the disused railway line running through Marsh Barton.

Liveable Exeter 2040 Vision

A commitment made by the Liveable Exeter Place Board to be recognised as a leading sustainable city and global leader in addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges of climate change and urbanisation.

LTN1/20 Cycle infrastructure design

Department for Transport guidance to local authorities on delivering high quality cycle infrastructure.

Micromobility

A range of small, lightweight vehicles operating at speeds typically below 25 kilometres an hour, including bicycles, e-bikes, and scooters.

Mobility Hub

Co-location of shared transport with public transport, and active travel facilities. This can include bike share, bus stops and car clubs for example.

National Model Design Code

Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government guidance on the production of design codes, guides and policies to promote successful design.

Net zero carbon

The amount of carbon added to the atmosphere is no more than the amount removed.

Passivhaus

Rigorous whole building standard for energy efficiency in buildings.

Plot ratio

The ratio between the amount of internal floor space of a building and the site area.

Shared Carriageway

Where cyclists and motor vehicles share the road.

Slender appearance

The appearance of a small width in proportion to height.

SMART Infrastructure

Connected infrastructure which gathers data for performance improvement.

Street Ratio

The ratio of street height to width.

SuDS

Sustainable drainage systems.

Supplementary Planning Document

A document to provide more detailed advice or guidance on policies in an adopted local plan.

Urban Greening Factor

A planning tool to improve the provision of Green Infrastructure particularly in urban areas.

Vision and validate

An approach to assessing transport need which focuses on active and sustainable travel.

WELL Building standard

A standard to measure, certify and monitor features of the built environment that impact human health and well-being.

Regulating plan

The regulating plan describes the specific spatial requirements of the Code within the Water Lane area. It can be used to help identify which spatial Codes are relevant to an individual planning application.

Constraints and opportunities plan

This plan shows most of the spatially located constraints and opportunities that were known during the preparation of the Code. It is expected that there will be further constraints identified, such as details of land contamination, through planning applications processes. A legend for the plan is provided on the following page.

Flooding

Flooding is a significant constraint and has been central to the preparation of the Code. Note that the flood map shown on the constraints and opportunities plan is currently being updated by the Environment Agency. The following key input from the Environment Agency has informed the Code:

• The majority of the Water Lane area lies in flood zone 3.

• Levels vary across the site which influences whether residential and other vulnerable users may or may not be acceptable on the ground floor.

• All dwellings need to have safe access and egress via a publicly accessible dry route.

• Water Lane (the Street) is an important flood flow route and its capacity needs to be safeguarded.

National Model Design Code Topic map

The following list can be used to identify where specific topics within the National Model Design Code (NMDC) are covered within the Water Lane Design Code. Where the Code requirements cover several topics within the NMDC, the requirement has been listed once under the principle topic covered.

Engagement summary

Purpose

To date, the Water Lane Supplementary Planning Document (the SPD) has been developed with input from the community and stakeholders through multiple engagement methods. The purpose of the engagement has been to:

• Enable positive collaboration with landowners, developers, community groups, residents, local businesses, the local authorities and other stakeholders to help shape the Code from the outset.

• Get meaningful input from a broad range of perspectives early in the process and ahead of formal consultation on the SPD.

• Enable the community and stakeholders to be engaged in the future of Water Lane and become custodians of the Vision.

• As far as possible, align stakeholders and the SPD to help accelerate subsequent planning decisions and delivery.

Exeter City Council will undertake formal public consultation on the SPD during the autumn of 2023, alongside consultation on the Full Draft Exeter Plan. The consultation will be carried out in accordance with statutory requirements and the City Council’s Consultation Charter and Statement of Community Involvement.

Stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder engagement is an ongoing process which started in May 2023. It has involved initial engagement to gather early input before drafting the SPD and, later in the process, engagement to test and confirm specific code requirements. The list of stakeholders engaged to date include:

• Landowner/developer teams for sites across Water Lane.

• Exeter City Council officers.

• Exeter City Council members: Planning Member Working Group, Ward Members and Members of the Quay and Canal Trust.

• Devon County Council officers.

• Devon County Council members for Water Lane and the immediately adjoining area.

• Other public bodies including the Environment Agency, Homes England and National Grid.

• Key institutions including Exeter College, University of Exeter and the RDUH Hospital.

Early community engagement

Prior to the work on the SPD, a large number of community groups, ward members, local residents and local businesses came together in a series of engagement events and produced a ‘Prospectus for the redevelopment of the wider Water Lane area’. The work was led by Exeter Civic Society. The Prospectus provided a starting point for early community engagement on the SPD, as it helped to establish an in-depth understanding of local people’s priorities.

Early engagement with the local community on the SPD took place between May and July 2023. The strategy for community engagement has utilised multiple channels and methods to get the best possible reach and meaningful input within the time frame of the SPD program.

Citizens' Panel

A Citizens' Panel was set up to enable people with different perspectives to input and help shape the SPD from an early stage. This panel was key in complementing the technical and specific input from formal stakeholders and developer teams. Engagement with the Citizens’ Panel took the form of workshops and a separate drop-in session to capture a broad range of views and allow differing levels of engagement.

The Citizens' Panel conversations were based on the questions and direction:

• What type of place do you want Water Lane to be in the future?

• What is important to you and special about the Water Lane area now, and what do you think will be important in the future?

Details of the workshops and the drop-in session and the input gathered from the Citizens' Panel are summarised on the following pages.

Workshops

A long list of community organisations and representatives from the local community were invited to join the Citizens' Panel workshops. A small group of people were able to join these workshops. Other people who expressed interest in the Citizens' Panel but were not able to commit to the workshop timings were invited to the drop-in session as well as notified of the future formal public consultation. The workshops were spaced one week apart to maintain momentum whilst allowing participants to reflect between sessions.

Workshop 1:

The first workshop took place on the 19th June 2023 outside in the Riverside Valley Park directly adjacent to Water Lane. The outdoor location was chosen to enable a focus on the strong relationship with the place and give focus on the strong relationship between Water Lane, the Canal and the River. The focused theme of the workshop was “The essence of Water Lane” and activities included:

• An opportunity for Panel members to explain their interest in joining the Panel.

• An introduction to the purpose and process of preparing the SPD, followed by questions by participants.

• Capturing a collective essence of Water Lane and the adjacent Canal and River through collecting items from the area.

• Exploring participants' aspirations for Water Lane and their priorities for the SPD.

• Discussion on what the next workshop should include.

• Homework for next session: to write a short poem about your wishes for Water Lane.

Workshop 2:

The second workshop took place on the 26th June 2023, the first part at Exeter Canoe Club on Haven Road and the second part as a site walk through the Water Lane area. The focused themes of the workshop were “A true waterside community”, “Social infrastructure” and “Fostering a living community” and activities included:

• An introduction to the focused themes.

• An introduction to potential topics for the SPD and an example of an existing Design Code, following a request from participants at the first workshop.

• Key opportunities and challenges to discuss at workshops 2 and 3, based on the key topics in the Civic Society’s Prospectus.

• Site walk along the Canal discussing the focused themes.

• An exercise visioning Water Lane in 2040.

• Homework: to discuss with a young person what they would like Water Lane to be in the future.

Workshop 3:

The third workshop took place on the 4th July 2023 at Exeter Canoe Club. A site walk was planned but cancelled due to heavy rain. Instead, the discussion took place inside the Canoe Club with large scale maps to identify particular places. The focussed themes for the workshop were “Access and movement”, Character and architecture” and “Nature, water and energy” and activities included:

• Conversation around homework from previous workshops.

• Scene setting for the focussed themes, with an introduction to Net Zero carbon and transport as national/global drivers for change.

• Discussion of the focussed themes using post-it notes, maps and pens for marking maps.

Drop-in session

This session took place on the 12th July 2023 between 12 and 7:30pm. A long list of community organisations and representatives from the local community were invited to book a 30 min slot for a 1-1 conversation with a person from the SPD consultant team. 15 people attended this drop-in session including local residents and people from local community groups and businesses.

Input from the Citizen’s Panel

The input from the Citizen’s Panel helped shape the drafting of the SPD during July and August. The Panel has had a particularly strong influence on the Vision for Water Lane as well as helping to identify what is needed to achieve a true waterside community. Key inputs from the Panel have been categorised and are set out on the following pages. Some input has not been incorporated in the SPD for various reasons e.g. where there have been conflicting aspirations, conflicts with policy or aspects that are beyond the scope of the SPD.

Citizen's Panel input relating to the Vision for Water Lane

Input from the Citizens' Panel

Character

• Waterscape as a defining feature of place

• Retain suburban feel - light, spacious and attractive

• If we’re not careful we will destroy the Quay and waterfront, one of the primary reasons people live here

• I don’t feel like we live in the city - live in the Valley Park in nature

• View of Haldon, lit up like a lighthouse

• Industrial heritage integrated into site

• Views of St Leonard's Church spire

• Shaping one of the key areas of the city

• Retain the feel of paddling along a lovely canal in nature

• People are here for contact with nature, space, water access

• I don’t want to feel trapped between the Canal and a block of flats

• Maritime past is the golden thread between life, character and commerce

• Different clusters with different characters

• Most people have lived here for a long time

• Crane should be preserved

• Part of a continuum of heritage buildings and industrial history of Exeter

• A legacy for generations to come

• Gas works has to be retained

• Things are being built quickly with little consideration

• Not keen on uniformity of proposed

• Protect existing heritage

Water

• We want a clean Canal and a clean River

• Sea Scouts worried about swallowing sewage

• Water bills are the highest bill here - we use a lot of water to clean our canoes - it would be great if we could use harvested rainwater for this

• Potential for wetland restoration

• As Canal is a defining place feature, it should be included in site boundary for Design Code

• Not just for yuppies drinking fine wine by the water, we want to see more activities and enjoyment of the water

• Lots of dead fish

• Where can we invite the soft edges in? Bird families nestle in the soft sides of the Canal not the hard manicured side

• If the weir fails, there is no water in the Canal. One has already failed

• Make space for water

• Flood risk is important

• We’re short of water. How will the development improve water supply?

• What does the River and wildlife need from us?

• Need better access to the water for children and families

• Return to tidal estuary

• Return of Salmon in their numbers and celebration

• Making a wetland filtered lido for clean, safe swimming, with community saunas

• We need a new slipway - the existing one isn't usable

• We need to retain craning points for large ships

• In the future I'm imagining the Canal busy with water taxis and boats delivering fresh fish for sale.

• Enable more heritage ships to come into Exeter

• Scared of a privatised waterfront

Nature

• Seating surrounded by nature and wild gardens

• Don’t want it to look too hard, it should blend with nature

• Concerned proposals will spoil wildlife

• A really great environmental landscaping opportunity

• Put things in soil not planters

• BNG is an opportunity for development to be green

• Waterside needs public space so you don’t feel you’re sitting in someone’s private area

• Want to be able to see the trees and hills

• Preserve owls, bats, trees already there

• Green buffers between buildings and Canal

Resilience

• Quality = should last longer than 100 years

• Heat risk is crucial with extended heat waves. How will buildings handle this?

• Food resilience - use available space for growing

• Refurbish not demolish

• Everything should balance the carbon emissions

• How do we prepare for future pandemics?

• Charitable sector is important to city resilience, heading into a state of permanent crisis, can’t afford commercial rates on space

• Needs a charitable sector strategy to amplify social impact

• Ride On cycle hub needs: minimum 400 sqm for workshop, storage, testing bikes

• Focus on adaption and mitigation

Leisure and tourism

• A regional destination, not just a housing estate

• An urban campsite at Grace Road Playing Fields by Marsh Barton station would be a great attraction

• Currently difficult for visiting boaters to come to Exeter

• A little wilderness playground by the city

• A place for rowing regatta with parking

• Give space to sea cadets/scouts/outdoor education

• Access to water activities and leisure facilities like climbing

Gabriel's Wharf

• The operational bones of the harbour

• A space to break up and maintain ships

• It’s the only space for larger ships and strong crane. Weight is the limiting factor

• Provides parallel access to slip way for launching visiting boats plus road access

• Opportunity site for small boat builders and maintenance

• It’s the only space for larger ships and strong crane. Weight is the limiting factor

• Potential to be a busy active location

• What’s the positive picture of light industry and living along side it?

• No space left in the basin by Quay

• Think about boat storage, access, boat builder economy

Mobility

• Like it to be a traffic free area

• Build the houses around the cycle lanes

• People travel differently when in a dense urban area

• Most people I know here cycle to work

• Lots of conflict on shared paths: need to separate fast commuters from others

• Two different transport problems here. Short distance travel for residents and then visitors. Need links to park and ride/change

• River path

• Need secure place to put bikes

• Design the car out. Give choices. Show people it can be done, communicate examples

• Space for children to run around - currently car priority

• Free cycles for residents?

• Paths should be improved up front

• Paths and crossings over Canal and River too narrow

• A lot of people use Michael Browning Way for turning

• Traffic detracts from tranquillity

• Lack of car parking is a problem. You need to have a car to access Devon

• Accessibility for all people young and old

• Needs space for trailer with minibus to access waters edge

• Only one road in and out - needs another

• A lot of deliveries need to be managed

• Cars use the pavement as a second lane on Haven Road

• Alphington Road is horrible. Access down Tan Lane would help

• Important that there is car parking for people wanting to access Haven Banks and get onto the water - it's a regional destination and many people from Devon can only come by car.

Infrastructure

• Needs cafés and event space

• Seating and social spaces

• Primary school

• Start with investing in walking/cycling routes

• Infrastructure in place ready for houses

• Existing buildings could become club houses / for socially minded organisations

• Local GP and dentists all filled up

• Local food shop with local produce

• Local recycling hub

• Social facilities on the water

Height and density

• Existing house heights need to be taken into account

• Height can be higher in the centre of the site and dropping in height towards the River

• Buildings shouldn’t be closer than 40 yards from the water

• Height is my biggest concern

• 5-6 stories high would be okay

• Apartments mean more emphasis on public spaces

• A 12 storey building that looks great would be fine

• Put dense parts near Marsh Barton station, low buildings at the front of the development, higher buildings hidden with trees tucked into the site, where adjacent to existing residential buildings should not be more than one or two stories higher

• Not against apartments and density, but needs to be done respectfully

• My house is currently dark in daylight and I am worried I will get impacted

Community

• Don’t sacrifice the City’s qualities for developer profits

• Allotments where people can come together

• Cotfield Street is family orientated

• A lot more exciting if it was family friendly homes

• Avoid privitisation of development like Haven Banks and Piazza Terracina

• We have people living on boats and vans in this community, how do we include not exclude our own community members?

• Should be young people friendly, involving truly affordable accommodation for 1 or 2 bed houses

• Development doesn’t have to mean gentrification

• Better social housing proposals

• No transient populations: co-living/student - no regard for residents. Minimum tenancy?

• Children short changed by car priorities

• Rent controls

Stewardship

• How to invite future residents as custodians?

• Needs an explicit maintenance plan

• The management of the Canal path is not done properly

• Members of public to have a say in Section 106 spend

Young people

• Need accessible opportunities for youngsters to enjoy outdoor activities themselves at their own pace, remove the barriers to participate

• At the canoe club, the profile of youngsters has changed from lower class to middle class due to safety/bureaucracy/accessibility

• Canals are not a toy, not as safe as it looks. Can’t get in/out easily. There is a drowning risk

• Cheap or free accessible water / adventure activities

• My children love the flood relief channel, see the seasonal realities of wildlife, swans protecting their young, they like being very close to the water, they climb on everything and want more informal/playable spaces. They try to run across the roads. Less traffic please

• My daughter is 17. Wants to hang out with friends, having nice public open space. Teenagers don’t feel welcome anywhere. Where are they meant to go?

• Would love to be able to live on this site

• Daughter 11, cycle mad, animal lover, make sure the animals have somewhere to go, to grow food locally. School nearby so I don’t have to sit in car traffic everyday

• My nephew is 17 doing his apprenticeship in Marsh Barton. He wants to keep a job in the city he grew up in, he's a proper home body, he’d love to live here if he could afford it