New £2m plan for regeneration and homes in one of North Devon’s poorest towns

North Devon Council is planning to invest £2million into the former Royal Mail building in Ilfracombe High Street to provide homes, retail and exhibition spaces.

The conversion of the five storey landmark building forms part of the Ilfracombe Healthy Homes Project, contributing to the regeneration of the town centre.

The council is in the process of purchasing the property using part of its allocation of nearly £3m from the Devon and Torbay devolution deal which is earmarked for delivering good quality homes in the town.

Remaining cash has been used to purchase two former bedsits in Ilfracombe for renovation, according to local councillors.

The council has applied for consent from its own planning department to convert the former Royal Mail delivery office, which was built in 1910.

Existing accommodation on the second and third floors is in need of renovation, improvement and repair and so will be upgraded and extended and underused parts of the building brought back into use, say planning documents.

Eight units of accommodation are proposed for the upper floors.

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The building was a central postal hub for much of the 20th century and has many notable features including Dutch gables on the facade which are a prominent addition to many buildings on the High Street and contribute towards the local character.

“While not listed, the building is of local historic interest and sits within the Ilfracombe Conservation Area and the High Street Character Zone, contributing to the street scene’s architectural continuity and historic grain,” the planning application states. 

The former sorting office overseer’s room and the safe room will be retained on the ground floor to preserve the history of the building and add interest to the conversion. This area is being proposed for flexible shop and exhibition spaces with a servery and seating to provide light refreshments.

Improvement works on the lower ground floor will create a better storage space to work in conjunction with the commercial space above.

Re-roofing works are necessary to improve the fabric and functionality of the building and public-facing spaces will be accessible with a step-free finish for individuals with mobility impairments.

The council intends to improve the condition of the building, enhance commercial and community use, bring in more energy efficient measures including solar panels and provide much needed homes.

North Devon Council is conducting a pilot project to see if intervening in the Ilfracombe housing market will help to improve the standards of existing low-quality homes.

A bid by the council for £25m from the previous government to transform Ilfracombe failed last year and was described as a ‘huge blow’ for the area where 20% of households were living in poverty.

Poor housing is believed to contribute to the town having one of the lowest life expectancies in the county.

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