THE £70m scheme to redevelop Exeter's bus and coach station has been delayed.
A planning application for the scheme, which is to be known as Princesshay Leisure, was to have been registered with the city council before Christmas but the Echo understands that it will be at least several weeks before the outline planning application is sent in.
The developers were to have met with Exeter councillors today to discuss traffic issues but this meeting has been cancelled.
In addition the county council's development management committee was due to have a site visit at the bus station before discussing traffic arrangements on March 4 but both have been cancelled and rescheduled for April 15.
At the time of the public consultation on plans for the bus station last November the developers, the Crown Estate and THReal Estate, said the outline plans would be submitted before the end of last year and the detailed planning application would be submitted between March and June.
Now councillors are being told that the outline plans will not be discussed by Exeter's planning committee until after the May elections.
The Crown Estate has however told the Echo that it is working hard on the scheme and wants to make sure that it gets it right.
John Grinnell, development manager for Princesshay Leisure, said: "It's fantastic that the vast majority of people are positive about the redevelopment of this site and that they're keen to see things move forward.
"The opportunities presented by this site, both for the developers but also the city's residents and shoppers, make it really important that we take the time needed to ensure that any proposals are deliverable, and fully consider the wide range of technical and design challenges that come with a project of this scale and complexity.
"Our team are working hard to get this right and we'll provide further updates in due course."
The most controversial aspect of the scheme is the proposal to close the top end of Paris Street to through traffic.
The intention is to create a piazza to link Princesshay with Princesshay Leisure and local councillors were told by the developers that the scheme would not be viable if Paris Street could not be closed.
Jill Owen, county councillor for St David's and St James' was at the original meeting held between the Crown Estate and councillors to discuss traffic issues.
Cllr Owen said: "Nothing was said that lead me to believe that they weren't keen to go ahead and to try to engage with us.
"After that meeting there was a general view that once they had thought about what we had said we would meet up again."
Percy Prowse, county councillor for Duryard and Pennsylvania, also attended the traffic meeting and said: "I am disappointed at another delay in what would have been a positive move to develop at least part of the bus station site."
Councillor Pete Edwards, leader of the city council is confident that the scheme will go ahead and assured the Echo that the city council is forging ahead with its plans for a swimming pool on part of the bus station site.
Cllr Edwards said: "There has been a slight delay with the Crown Estate element of the bus station redevelopment, which is not unusual for a scheme of this scale and nature. I expect that the plans will be with the council soon.
"This will be a great scheme for Exeter and the council's design team is drawing up plans for the leisure complex. I would encourage everyone to contribute to those plans through exeteractive.com"
Cllr Edwards has been visiting other swimming pools around the country and said: "With the amount of money we are spending on this state-of-the-art facility we want to make sure that we get it absolutely right."
it is intended that Princesshay Leisure will also include three large restaurants, a new cinema, an amphitheatre and a block of 30 retail units at the top end of Paris Street, opposite John Lewis.
