PLANS to uncover the city's buried Roman Baths to create a major tourist attraction are progressing well, according to the Dean of Exeter.
And he said the proposed attraction underneath the entrance to the Cathedral would be a "game-changer" for the city and a project of major national importance.
The Very Reverend Dr Jonathan Draper, Dean of Exeter Cathedral, said he now wanted to progress to the planning stage and hoped the Roman remains could be back on public view in three years time.
Dr Draper said: "The big thing we're working on at the moment is how we undercover and make accessible the Roman bathhouse.
"Opening the Roman baths would give a whole new opportunity to get some of these treasures out as well as a range of other things to make the story of Exeter better known.
"We've got the second oldest Roman building known in Britain. The man who did the excavations talks about it as 'the beginnings of British architecture'. It helps to tell not only the story of Exeter, but also the story of the nation."
Dr Draper was speaking to the Echo at the launch of Exeter Cathedral's new souvenir guidebook.
"We want people in Exeter to be proud of their own heritage," he said.
"But we also want to draw people in to visit the city. And we hope it brings the city to its own next phase of life.
"We're working very hard on the plans of how to do it. All being well sometime before the end of the year we want to put in an application to the heritage lottery fund.
"Discussions will continue with the city council, and I need to get things into planning fairly soon to them so they can take a view.
"We should have a much clearer picture by the autumn of how we might be able to do it."
He said there was still much work to be done to bring the project to fruition.
"There's some significant technical challenges ahead," said Dr Draper, who first revealed his plans to the Echo last year.
"How do you get people to go and view really delicate Roman remains in an underground building without destroying it? That's a key question.
"We think there are ways to do that, but it's certainly a challenge. We're feeling that it's achievable in three years. We've got some indicative idea of how much it'll cost, but it wouldn't appropriate to say yet. It'll cost a lot."
He added: "It has the potential to be a game-changer for Exeter. It can really raise the city's profile, and help not only the Cathedral although it should give us a more sustainable income."
"Every schoolchild from Devon and Cornwall can learn about the Romans and the Second World War on one site. We feel we can make a good educational offer.
"However difficult it is, we hold onto the fact that it really could be very exciting project for the city."
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw, who was with the Dean at the cathedral for the launch of its new guide, added his support to the proposed development.
He said: "It's a very exciting idea, if it can be realised in a sensitive way.
"It has the potential to further Exeter's importance as an historical visitor attraction."
