Major redevelopment proposed for Exeter’s former police station site

A major planning application has been submitted to Exeter City Council to redevelop the site of the former police station and Central Devon Magistrates’ Court on Heavitree Road.

Exeter Today understands the application has a target determination date of Friday 12 September 2025.

The proposal, submitted by developers NCO (Seven) Limited and Nixon Homes Limited, seeks full planning permission to demolish the existing buildings and construct a large mixed-use complex combining Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and Co-Living spaces.

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The new development would include accommodation for students, as well as co-living units for 414 professionals.

The student element would feature bedrooms, a reception and management suite, communal social space, private courtyards, a laundry, and a bike store.

The scheme is designed to be entirely car-free, with no parking spaces available for residents.

In the planning statement, Nixon Homes describes Heavitree Road as its “flagship scheme, showcasing the very best” of the company’s product and service levels.

The developer adds that, unlike a typical residential block, the co-living accommodation would be “a community where the residents will know each other and socialise within the various communal spaces provided.”

The planning application is currently under consideration by Exeter City Council.