Liveable Exeter: A Garden City

“A town, like a flower, or a tree, or an animal, should, at each stage of its growth, possess unity, symmetry, completeness, and the effect of growth should never be to destroy that unity, but to give it greater purpose.” E. Howard, Garden Cities of Tomorrow (1898)

The Garden City concept was created to Ebenezer Howard who, in 1898, set out the blueprint for beautiful, healthy and co-operative new communities to ‘transform the entire way we think about the cities and the way we should plan them.’ Over the last century Garden City ideals have proven to be a steadfast foundation for inclusive and sustainable communities. Places that have been inspired by Howard’s ideas have been designed with sensitivity to local landscapes and materials, aimed not only at creating beautiful places, but also to offer residents high-quality lifestyles.

Exeter was granted Garden City designation in 2019 and as such Liveable Exeter was born. Working in close collaboration with local architects and partners the programme will create new homes for the city guided by Garden City principles. These principles, all of which have been built into the core of Exeter’s Vision for 2040, include:

• the promotion of human wellbeing, a range of employment opportunities and cultural services;
• a complete mix of housing, including social and affordable housing;
• walkable neighbourhoods, tree-lined streets and high quality design;
• vibrant parks and opportunities for residents to grow or have access to healthy food, while also promoting access to nature and opportunity for biodiversity.

Liveable Exeter will encompass nine sites around the city including Water Lane and Saint David’s. For more information on these sites and how you can get involved with how they develop, please click on the link.