Proposed changes to Great Western Hotel

Exeter City Council are considering an application proposing a significant conversion of the old Great Western Hotel by Exeter St David's railway station.

The hotel, which has been part of Exeter’s history for over 175 years, stopped taking bookings over four years ago.

A new application seeking planning permission has proposed a change from hotel to mixed use, where the building would become mainly residential.

The hotel used to have an Indian restaurant and a popular local pub, but these closed in 2022 and 2023 due to lower football and economic setbacks.

It served an important purpose during COVID-19, when Exeter City Council used their emergency fund to pay for the building to temporarily house rough sleepers. 

Since then, the city council has continued to use the hotel as an emergency accommodation provision, reserving all 30 of its rooms for this use in June this year.

This new planning permission would convert the hotel to provide 15 permanent residential units, with 12 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom flats on its upper floor. 

It would also add a three-story extension to the building’s rear, requiring the removal of an external staircase.

Its ground floor would be kept back for commercial use.

So far, only one member of the public has submitted an objection against the application, according to Exeter City Council's website.

You can continue to submit comments on this application until Sunday, September 29.