Exeter SecAnim Animal Waste Plant is Closing! What Should Happen to the Site?

The SecAnim animal waste processing plant downstream of the Quay is going to close in Exeter much to everyone's nasal relief! Poor planning by Labour, including a lack of a Local Plan, means the site like many others (seardch 'Topsham Gap') has already been designated for housing.

The site's proximity to the Quay and canal means it is at 'medium flood-risk', which will only worsen due to climate change.

I will campaign for the site to become an expansion of the floodplain run by the Devon Wildlife Trust. This would increase crucial green space in Exeter that local residents have been calling for. It would also greatly improve the strength of the area's ecosystem, improve our air quality, and reduce the flood-risk of nearby homes. Promoting nature here would also ensure a massive boost to tourism for the Haven Banks area.

At the very least, the council needs to ensure new houses are flood-resistant, eco-friendly, and affordable, and should incorporate as much communal green space and trees into plans as possible.

By Will Aczel, local campaigner for Duryard & St James