Exeter Housing Crisis Deepens as Council Homes Fall Short of Surging Demand

Key facts

• Exeter City Council has delivered 35 of 500 planned council homes.
• One-bedroom flats cost around £800 per month before bills.
• University of Exeter has over 27,000 full-time equivalent students, 20% of the city's population.
• found student rents approaching £9,000 annually.
• Five party representatives debated housing and parking at Exeter Library on Thursday.
• Plans to build on the Mary Arches Street car park site have been approved.
• Labour controls Exeter City Council; elections for a third of seats are on 7 May.

A City at a Crossroads

Exeter is grappling with a housing crisis that is pushing out working residents even as developers build hundreds of new homes. At a debate hosted by BBC Radio Devon at Exeter Library on Thursday, five political party representatives clashed over solutions, with Labour leader Phil Bialyk admitting demand for housing 'is greater than the supply.' The city’s struggle reflects a national pattern, but local factors — a surging student population and a boom in co-living developments — have intensified the pressure. Residents like Andy Fletcher, who lives in YMCA-supported accommodation, say they cannot find a single affordable flat to rent.

The Housing Gap: 500 Promised, 35 Delivered

Bialyk, who also leads the city council, said the authority is 'in a programme of building 500 council homes in this city' and has delivered 35 so far. The slow pace has drawn criticism from opponents, who argue that more aggressive action is needed to meet demand. The debate came after plans to build accommodation on the Mary Arches Street car park site were approved. When asked about parking, Bialyk described the existing car park as 'falling down' and questioned whether to 'spend millions upon millions to replenish it.' He suggested that better cooperation with bus companies could improve public transport, adding, 'if our plans for unity goes ahead, we'll be able to have some better control over buses and pricing and fares and routes.'

Student Surge and Co-Living Squeeze

The University of Exeter now has more than 27,000 full-time equivalent students across its Streatham and St Luke’s campuses — more than double the figure of two decades ago. Students now account for roughly 20 percent of the city’s total population, a demographic shift that has reshaped the housing market. found that the university’s economic impact 'comes at the expense of increased housing pressures in the city.' noted that annual student rents were approaching £9,000 in 2024. Meanwhile, a proliferation of co-living studios and student developments is reducing the supply of ordinary housing for working residents, according to charity workers and politicians.

Voices from the Crisis: 'Exeter Doesn't Want Me'

Andy Fletcher, a young worker in YMCA-supported accommodation, told the BBC: 'To me it feels like Exeter doesn’t want me. It feels like they’re happy enough to welcome all the students in – yes, they’re really important for the economy – but it’s pushing residents like me out of the city.' Si Johns, joint CEO of Exeter YMCA, argued that the oversupply of co-living and student accommodation is driving up prices for the housing people actually want. 'Not everyone can live in co-living – it’s probably not the preference for most,' he said, 'and when you create a lot of things that are not the preference, it’s simple supply and demand.'

Infrastructure and Governance Gaps

Liberal Democrat leader Michael Mitchell said tens of millions of pounds need to be spent to bring the city’s infrastructure up to date. He highlighted a structural problem: Exeter is not a unitary authority, so the city council controls car parks while Devon County Council manages on-street parking. 'On one side you’ve got the need to get income, on the other side you’ve got the problems of pollution and congestion what all of us want to cut down,' Mitchell said. He called for a strategy to reduce traffic into the city while still encouraging visitors, a balancing act that remains unresolved.

Election Stakes and the Path Ahead

Voters in Exeter and Plymouth will go to the polls on 7 May to elect a third of the seats on each city council, both currently controlled by Labour. The debate featured Ian Baldwin (Conservatives), Diana Moore (Green leader), Phil Bialyk (Labour), Michael Mitchell (Liberal Democrats), and Siam Bhayro (chairman of Reform UK Exeter). The outcome will determine whether the current housing and parking policies continue or shift. With the council’s 500-home programme still in its early stages and the student population showing no signs of shrinking, the next administration will face the same fundamental challenge: how to build enough homes for everyone who wants to live in Exeter.

The bottom line

• Exeter's housing crisis is driven by a student population that has more than doubled in 20 years, now 20% of the city's total.
• The city council has built only 35 of 500 promised council homes, far short of demand.
• Co-living and student developments are reducing the supply of traditional housing, pushing up rents for working residents.
• One-bedroom flats cost around £800 per month, while student rents approach £9,000 annually.
• Infrastructure governance is split between city and county councils, complicating traffic and parking solutions.
• The 7 May local elections will test public support for current policies, with a third of council seats up for grabs.