SUPERMARKET giant Morrisons has pledged to create 350 new jobs in the city after unveiling plans to redevelop part of police headquarters at Middlemoor.
The plan also involves creating a new multi-million-pound police station and custody suite for Exeter, as these exclusive pictures reveal.
Morrisons, which has a store in Beacon Heath, has signed an exclusivity deal for the site at Middlemoor and is due to submit a planning application.
Devon & Cornwall Police plans to sell up to 15 acres of surplus land at its large Exeter headquarters.
The sale of the land to Morrisons will fund "new policing infrastructure" at the site.
The development will include a new criminal justice centre and operational hub, which will ultimately replace the current facility in Heavitree Road which is nearing the end of its life and has high maintenance costs.
The force claims the new hub will be among the greenest buildings it owns.
The plans include a large Morrisons supermarket which will be accessed from the roundabout linking Wilton Way and Honiton Road.
Eight acres of land will be sold to Morrisons for a new foodstore and petrol filling station which, it claims, will create around 350 new jobs.
Morrisons will hold joint consultation events with the force to allow residents the chance to meet the project team and see the proposals in more detail.
Deputy Chief Constable David Zinzan said: "The force continually looks for ways to improve and enhance the safety of our communities. We are reviewing and modernising our infrastructures and environment to ensure we are delivering the best possible service.
"By modernising our buildings and facilities, we are planning for the future and dispensing with buildings which have come to the end of their useful life and have high maintenance costs.
"Changes will not happen overnight, it is important that we reflect on feedback from our staff and our communities and get things right.
"We will listen carefully through consultation and provide a sustainable service that best meets the needs of our communities."
Robin Langford, development executive at Morrisons, said: "We are delighted to be working with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall as part of this important redevelopment which will help to modernise police facilities in Exeter. If our application is successful, we will be recruiting around 350 new staff from the local area."
Construction work could start in 2014.
A spokesman for the city council said housing would be its preferred use for the land at Middlemoor.
He added: "There would be other considerations to work through such as any loss of employment land/potential and any change to the playing field area.
"There might also be retail issues about any impact on the centre planned for Cranbrook."
