The Crown Estate and TH Real Estate’s Princesshay Partnership has submitted a planning application to Exeter City Council for the £70 million redevelopment of the city’s bus and coach station.
The plans will deliver over 180,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, including a new cinema, along with a substantial contribution to the public realm in the form of an amphitheatre.
The scheme will complement the existing retail and leisure offer at Princesshay, which boasts tenants including River Island, Topshop, Topman, Apple, New Look, Joules and Fat Face along with a number of restaurant units such as Byron, Carluccios and Jamie’s Italian.
Speaking on behalf of the Princesshay Partnership, John Grinnell expressed his satisfaction at bringing the start of the scheme closer.
He said; “As the region’s best shopping and leisure scheme, Princesshay is a fantastic asset for the city and we’re committed to improving it even further, whether that’s by bringing in great new brands and restaurants, or working with the council to regenerate the bus station site.
“It’s an extremely complex project and there’s still a long way to go in planning and design terms, but we’re really pleased to submit an outline application, which is an important step in unlocking the true potential of this gateway to Exeter.”
The scheme has already received a high degree of support from local residents and consumers. Last November, the partnership hosted a public consultation event at the former Blue Wing Gallery at Princesshay, which resulted in 76 per cent of respondents agreeing the scheme would have a positive impact on Exeter and the vast majority welcomed the chance to improve the area’s restaurant and leisure offer.
