An update on the St James Park Development
Exeter City Football Club is bitterly disappointed at the decision by St James’ Forum to issue legal proceedings challenging the planning permission for the St James Park Development.These proposals have been subject to detailed scrutiny by planning officers and elected members of the City Council, as well as the Secretary of State who after lengthy consideration decided not to call the application in. The scheme has been reduced in height, resulting in a considerable loss of floor space, 20 Old Tiverton Road has been excluded from student use, and the Club and its development partner have offered further consultation with the Forum over the important boundary structures to be erected between the ground and St James’ Road/Well Street, the external appearance of the student blocks, and the ongoing management arrangements for the student development.
Club Chairman Julian Tagg said:
“Our efforts to work with the Forum and find a compromise have been thrown back in our face by what appears to be a minority of individuals who, rather than engage in sensible and amicable discussion seem to be hell – bent on having a confrontation with the City Council with the future of the Football Club as potential collateral damage. We know from various conversations that have taken place that at least three members of the Forum’s Planning & Design Panel have not been involved in the decisions over this legal action because they oppose it. We believe this action is reckless, destructive, without any proper foundation and detrimental to the interests of the Forum, the City Council and the Football Club. The Football Club urges all members of the Forum, the constituent Residents’ Associations, and residents of St James to consider very carefully and perhaps to question the Forum on what is being done in their name.’’