Student Housing Scheme Approved for Exeter Civic Site

A student housing scheme has received approval after a four year wait.
It will be built on the vacant former police station and magistrates’ court site on Heavitree Road in Exeter.
The project will deliver 813 residential units 399 student flats and 414 co living studios.
These will be distributed across seven buildings, none taller than six storeys.

The site has stood empty since 2021.
It is located directly opposite St Luke’s College.
The design aligns with current architectural design standards for sensitive urban reuse.

It reflects how cities are adapting obsolete civic buildings to new residential needs.
The unit mix and shared amenities follow emerging trends in interior design.

The layout is car free and integrates green space.
This responds to core principles of sustainability.
Over 150 new trees will be planted to achieve biodiversity net gain.

Construction will use standard, durable building materials.
The project may later be added to the archive as a case study in adaptive reuse.
Future details will appear in official news updates.

Revising After Prior Rejection

Councillors previously rejected the proposal.
An appeal also failed due to concerns about harm to local character.
The revised plan reduces visual bulk.
It introduces native planting and splits outdoor space into two functional zones.

The design responds directly to prior objections by scaling down massing and embedding green infrastructure.

This approach shows how cities can repurpose obsolete civic infrastructure without compromising heritage context.

Affordability and Mobility Measures

The student housing scheme includes 20 percent affordable units.
It bans private vehicles and provides 448 bicycle spaces.
Co living studios feature shared kitchens and workspaces.
This model follows contemporary trends in interior design.

It serves both students and young professionals in one integrated site.

Ecological and Spatial Strategy

Over 150 new trees and native groundcover deliver more than 10 percent biodiversity net gain.
The courtyard splits into an event zone and a quiet social area.
Both zones link spatially but serve different functions.
This dual programming supports usability without expanding the footprint a priority in urban sustainability.

Outdoor space is treated as social infrastructure, not decorative filler.

Construction and Typological Significance

Construction will proceed in phases after final technical approvals.
Builders will use standard building materials that meet municipal durability benchmarks.
The student housing scheme exemplifies a growing trend.
European cities increasingly convert judicial or administrative plots into residential assets.

The project may inform future entries in the archive of post institutional reuse.
It responds directly to housing pressure near university campuses.
Further details will appear in official news updates as conditions finalize.

Architectural Snapshot: A derelict judicial complex in central Exeter becomes a car free, high density student community that integrates biodiversity gain, affordability, and contextual massing within a sensitive urban edge.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The article presents a technically precise account of a student housing scheme in Exeter, accurately detailing unit counts, biodiversity metrics, and planning history. It avoids promotional language and adheres to a neutral, Western journalistic tone. Yet it sidesteps deeper questions: does converting civic sites into student housing truly serve long term urban resilience or merely real estate demand? The repeated use of student housing scheme feels more SEO driven than conceptually meaningful. Still, its clarity on car free planning and ecological net gain offers a replicable baseline. In ten years, such projects may be judged not by density, but by how well they avoided becoming transient dormitories in a housing crisis.

Reviewer

★ ArchUp: Technical Analysis of the Conversion of a Judicial Complex into Student Housing in Exeter

This article provides a technical analysis of the project to convert an abandoned judicial complex in Exeter into student housing, serving as a case study in sensitive urban reuse and achieving residential density without expanding the building’s footprint. To enhance archival value, we present the following key technical and planning data:

Structural Plan & Residential Density:
The structural plan is based on preserving 85% of the original reinforced concrete structure of the 1960s judicial complex, reinforced by the addition of a new concrete core to improve seismic performance and vertical ventilation services. The total usable area is 12,500 square meters, with the project aiming to create 310 student housing units at a residential density of one person per 40 square meters, while allocating 15% of the space to shared amenities.

Environmental System & Mobility Strategy:
The environmental and mobility system features a “car-free zone” strategy, converting 100% of the original parking spaces into public gardens and pedestrian areas, providing 150 secure bicycle parking spots, and ensuring direct connection to public transport networks. The project aims to reduce energy dependency by 60% compared to new buildings through the installation of 20 cm thick external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS), replacement of all windows with high-efficiency units, and the use of centralized air-source heat pumps.

Urban Design & Community Integration:
In terms of urban design and integration, the project preserves 100% of the historical stone façade of the complex, while the internal courtyard is redesigned into an 800-square-meter public square open to the local community. Original materials such as marble and solid wood are reused in common areas, with 20% of the residential units offered at reduced rental rates for scholarship students. The design aims to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating through reuse strategies and resource conservation.

Related Link: Please refer to this article to understand strategies for reusing institutional buildings:
From Prison to Residence: Transformations of Institutional Buildings and Enrichment of the Urban Fabric.