‘Harmful’ Croyde Bay holiday homes refused

Croyde Bay will not be getting ‘harmful and misconceived’ holiday homes by the entrance to its famous surfing beach.

Planning officers at North Devon Council have refused an application by Croyde Bay Holidays at Beach Road using ‘delegated powers’ after opposition from the National Trust, the organisation behind the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and Georgeham Parish Council.

The company wanted to demolish a swimming pool building and replace it with two holiday units after its previous application for two larger homes was refused.

In a prominent location and forming part of a Grade II listed setting which includes a lime kiln, planning officers claimed the new building would not protect the special beauty of this part of the AONB and would overwhelm a historic building.

They said the existing swimming pool is smaller and has a softer appearance, and that the proposed redevelopment with the high pitched roof and gable finishing was not in keeping with surrounding buildings.

The applicant hadn’t provided a planning statement, and the parish council said ‘no attempt has been made to assess the impact of the proposed development’ and that it ‘conflicts with the neighbourhood plan’ as well as being outside the development boundary.

“Georgeham Parish Council is unanimous in its objections to this harmful and misconceived planning application,” it said.

And the National Trust claimed it had too much glazing and its domestic appearance was ‘totally out of character’ to the area.