Say goodbye to condoms and food wrappers

We may finally have a decent campus and a shiny new John Lewis, but there is still one student hot-spot crying out for attention: the bus station.

But if recent events are anything to go by we may no longer have to contend with food wrappers and condoms at our feet as we wait in the freezing cold Megabus queue.

A new bus station is in the pipeline as part of a £200 million project to develop land around Sidwell Street, Summerland Street, Belgrave Road and Paris Street.

A spokesperson for Exeter City Council said: “[We] envisage a retail and leisure led mixed use development incorporating an enhanced bus and coach Station.”

The Council hopes to extend these improvements to the Pyramids Leisure Centre, where plans for a new Olympic-sized training pool are underway. A new pool was the favourite in a recent poll which asked Exeter residents what they would like to see built in the area.

The site is in line for a share of a multi-million pound government grant which could act as a springboard for its redevelopment.

The council originally requested £20million to get the preparations for the £200million project underway, but has recently heard that it is in line for a share of a smaller £8million grant, as long as they can put together a definite plan for the site by the end of January.

The grant will come from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and will be issued to the Exeter and East Devon Growth Point. The Growth Point aims to create more than 1000 jobs and advance more than 1000 new homes through its city development in the near future.

While the grant will help launch the project, the bulk of the project will look to the private sector for funding, with the Council putting up the money for the new swimming pool.

The Council’s ambitious designs for renovation of the site certainly reflect public opinion. With the recent revival of the Princesshay area, the bus station is now arguably the city’s biggest eyesore.

Fourth year French and Philosophy student Laura Turnbull said: “I avoid using the bus station if I can because it is so hard to negotiate and just looks really outdated. If they redid it I’d definitely be inclined to use the buses more as it’s a great cheap way to travel.”

The Council assured The Tab that, although there may be temporary disruptions during the development, this will be “minimised as far as possible”.