Exbridge House, 26 Commercial Road, Exeter, Devon | Property for sale | Savills
Price on application

Exbridge House26 Commercial Road, Exeter, Devon

  • Freehold

Key features

  • Landmark Residential Conversion Opportunity in Exeter City Centre
  • Existing vacant office building
  • Prior Approval application submitted for conversion To 81no. apartments (C3)
  • Prominent position fronting Western Way
  • Existing building extending to approximately 77,134 sq ft (7,166 sq m)
  • Freehold interest

Prominent city centre vacant office building with Prior Approval application submitted for 81 apartments

About this property

  • Exbridge House presents a rare opportunity to acquire a substantial vacant office building in a prominent and highly accessible city centre location.

    The property benefits from a Prior Approval application which is currently being determined for the conversion of the existing accommodation to provide 81 residential apartments, offering an attractive redevelopment opportunity for residential developers and investors.

    Equally, the property may appeal to owner-occupiers, investors or office operators seeking to retain, refurbish or reposition the existing building for continued office use, capitalising on its prominent location, generous floorplates and on-site parking provision.

    The property's proximity to the University of Exeter, Exeter St Davids railway station and existing purpose-built student accommodation schemes also suggests there may be potential to explore alternative redevelopment options, subject to the necessary planning consents.

    Exbridge House comprises a substantial, detached office building, arranged over four storeys around a central courtyard. The property is now vacant and has previously been occupied by British Telecommunications (BT) for many years.

    The property, which was constructed in the late 1970s, is built predominantly of red brick elevations beneath pitched tiled roofs and features a combination of arched and rectangular windows, together with decorative brick detailing.

    Internally, the property extends to approximately 77,000 sq ft and is predominantly arranged as open-plan office accommodation across the ground, first and second floors, with the third floor providing a mix of open plan and cellular office space. The building benefits from multiple stair cores and a central lift core.

    Externally, there is a substantial surface car park providing approximately 77 parking spaces. In addition, the eastern part of the site is landscaped, comprising mature trees, shrubs and lawned areas. Exeter is a well established regional city and the commercial centre of Devon, with a strong local economy and an affluent catchment population.

    The city benefits from excellent transport connections, including two mainline railway stations providing services to Bristol, London Paddington and London Waterloo. Exeter Airport offers a range of domestic and international flights, while the M5 and A30 provide convenient road access to the wider region.

    Exeter offers a wide range of amenities, including the Princesshay shopping centre, a variety of restaurants, cafés and leisure facilities, highly regarded schools, and the University of Exeter, a Russell Group institution.

    A wide range of amenities are situated within close proximity to the site, including restaurants, cafés and independent retailers at Exeter Quayside (approximately 0.3 miles east), together with M&S Foodhall, Boots Pharmacy and other occupiers at Exe Bridges Retail Park (approximately 0.2 miles south). The Riverside Leisure Centre is also located approximately 0.2 miles to the south of the property.

    The nearest railway station is Exeter St Thomas, located approximately 0.5 miles to the south-west. The station provides regular local services and direct access to Exeter St Davids, the city's principal railway station, in approximately five minutes, with onward connections to regional and national destinations.

Local information

  • The extent of the land for sale is edged red on the site plan and extends to approximately 1.73 acres (0.7 ha). It is is located immediately south of Exeter city centre, 0.3 miles north-west of the historic Quayside, 0.5 miles south-west of the High Street, and 1.5 miles south of the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus.
  • The property occupies a prominent position on Western Way, approximately 300 metres from Exe Bridges Roundabout, one of Exeter’s principal highway junctions. The roundabout provides direct access to key arterial routes, including Alphington Road (A377), which connects to the A30 and Junction 31 of the M5, and Bonhay Road, providing access north towards Crediton.
  • The property is accessed via Commercial Road, linking directly to Exeter Quayside to the east and Western Way/Exe Bridges Roundabout to the west. It is bounded by Western Way to the north and west, residential apartments to the south, and a public house to the east.

Additional information

  • PLANNING - A Prior Approval application was submitted to Exeter City Council in August 2026 seeking consent under Class MA Permitted Development Rights (PDR) for the change of use of Exbridge House from Class E (Commercial, Business and Service Use) to Class C3 (Residential).
  • The planning application reference number is 26/1349/PDCD and is currently being determined. The scheme comprises the conversion of the existing office building to provide 81no. open market apartments, comprising a mix of studio, one bedroom and two-bedroom units, together with secure cycle storage and new refuse and recycling facilities.
  • The site is located within Flood Zone 3 and, as such, flood mitigation measures are required as part of the redevelopment proposals. A separate full supporting planning application has therefore been submitted in respect of a proposed flood wall and associated external works required to facilitate the residential conversion. The planning reference will be shared once the application has been validated. The proposed scheme will provide 64 parking spaces, including four accessible bays and four electric vehicle charging spaces.

Energy performance

E