Client: Exeter City Living
Location: Whipton, Exeter
Status: In Development
Expected completion date: TBC
Standard: Passivhaus
Overview
Vaughan Road phase 2 forms a key part of a wider three-phase regeneration initiative led by Exeter City Living on behalf of Exeter City Council. Located in Whipton, Exeter, this project will deliver 91 high-performance apartments across three distinct blocks, arranged around a landscaped central courtyard.
As part of Exeter’s long-term ambition to deliver zero-carbon development, the scheme showcases a forward-thinking approach to sustainable, inclusive housing. To support this, we are supplying and installing 36 Nilan Compact P units, delivering highly efficient heating, cooling, domestic hot water and balanced ventilation to selected dwellings. These systems play a vital role in maintaining Passivhaus performance while ensuring year-round indoor comfort for residents.
Funding and viability
With a combined budget of approximately £22 million allocated for phases B and C, the Vaughan Road redevelopment is funded through a combination of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) receipts, Homes England grants, and strategic borrowing. The funding model reflects a strong public sector commitment to sustainable, community-oriented development.
Housing mix and sustainability
Phase 2 has been designed with a diverse housing mix, offering homes for social rent, market rent and shared ownership. More than 65% of the units are allocated as affordable or social housing, with a proportion designed for full wheelchair accessibility, reinforcing the scheme’s inclusive design ethos.
All apartments are being built to rigorous sustainability standards, reducing energy consumption and operational carbon while futureproofing homes against the changing climate. The development prioritises high-performance building fabric and low-energy operation, aligning with Exeter’s climate resilience strategies.
Environmental credentials
This project represents the South West’s largest multi-block Passivhaus-certified development. The use of interlocking modern methods of construction (MMC) with clay-block walls enhances thermal efficiency and speeds up construction timelines.
Landscaped shared courtyards and communal amenity spaces contribute to the wellbeing of residents and provide biodiverse, low-maintenance green infrastructure – a hallmark of Exeter’s environmental leadership in housing delivery.
