Greens call for a new ‘Best of Devon’ quarter in city centre redevelopment

The Green Party in Exeter is calling on Exeter City Council to ensure the bus station redevelopment provides an opportunity to showcase the best that Devon has to offer in local foods, artisan crafts and multiculturalism and diversity.

Citing the phenomenal successes in Exeter of the South West Food Festival and Respect Festival, the Green Party believes there is popular demand for an area in the city centre with such a focus.

Responding to a recent City Centre strategy consultation, the Green Party is calling for the redevelopment to incorporate a market square and space for local independent traders.

The market would provide some permanent covered stall spaces, as well as some flexible and temporary stalls. It would incorporate the existing farmers' market, Sidwell Street stalls, and other local independent traders.

Andrew Bell, Exeter Green Party Policy Officer said: “The redevelopment of the bus station offers an opportunity to create a distinctive shopping quarter which offers the best of Devon and celebrates the multiculturalism and diversity of the city. Provision for cafes, market stalls, local artisan crafts and other independent traders will allow Exeter to showcase Devon’s best and draw people into the city to buy unique, locally produced goods and services.

“Ensuring local people and visitors have access to these goods and services will be beneficial to the local economy and the community of Exeter and Devon as a whole; it will ensure that money spent in Exeter will stay in the local economy.

“We absolutely reject the idea of attracting new ‘corporate’ names to the area in a bid to improve Exeter’s position in the ‘retail league table’. In particular we are totally opposed to a new supermarket in the area as this will completely undermine local independent businesses”.

The Greens also want to see a new centrally located state-of-the-art bus station, providing improved access to the centre of the city for those using public transport.

They also support the idea of a new swimming pool, though would like there to be a wide range of affordable leisure activities, especially for young people.

The Green Party also point out that such a development offers a huge opportunity for renewable energy generation and ‘zero waste’ to be built into the plans.