Controversial gym plans for old Bideford Library go back to drawing board

Controversial plans to convert the historic former Bideford Library into a gym with solar panels and air source heat pumps are going back to the drawing board because of concerns over visual and noise impacts.

The change of use of the building, part of the Grade II listed town hall complex, into a multi-functional sports and fitness facility was submitted by Torridge District Council (TDC) and approved in principle last July.

READ NEXT: Fitness centre plans submitted for old library in Bideford

But at a planning meeting this morning (Thursday, November 6) councillors were not happy with the detailed plans submitted, which they say would be detrimental to the heritage asset and amenity of residents.

Resident Mark Simmons, speaking on behalf of the residents of Church Walk and Tower Street, said the library and town hall were the town’s ‘Instagram photo opp’ and the featured image on the Visit Devon website.

He said: “If you put this proposal through you are setting a precedent that it doesn’t matter how important a building is in an area you can stick solar panels and air source industrial equipment on the back of it.”

Mr Simmons said the noise from the three industrial external heat pumps would be ‘extremely disruptive’ to residents despite a noise assessment saying there would not be an adverse impact.

He added: “The noise impact report assumes a best case scenario and does not account for the acoustics of the area or that we all have single glazed old windows as we live in listed buildings in a conservation area.”

He believed the ‘constant drone’ from the pumps would impact residents when sat in their gardens and people visiting St Mary’s Church for weddings and funerals.

Mr Simmons called the TDC project a ‘white elephant’ and said these proposals would ‘further erode the town’s character’.

READ NEXT: Old library gym plan approved

The detailed plans include co-working space within the library and town hall complex, offices, improved accessibility and replacing a single storey extension at the rear as well as the renewable energy sources.

Above: Plans to redevelop the former Bideford Library into a fitness centre have stalled for now, with officers going back to the drawing board to look at solar panels and potentially ‘noisy’ heat pumps. Credit: TDC

Councillor Doug Bushby for Bideford North said he had serious concerns about the solar panels and the air source heat pumps, which had to be raised to get the correct air flow and would be more visible.

He said he was also against 100-year-old internal doors being ripped out and replaced with modern ones.

Cllr Chris Leather added: “As you walk down from the parish church you will see the tops of the industrial heat pumps and I am pretty sure there will be noise issues.”

He suggested heritage solar panels be used to blend in with the roof which were more expensive but would be less visible.

But Cllr Peter Hames said the council’s conservation officer did not have any strong concerns and the panels would be ‘partially hidden’.

The committee was told the officer had preferred mounted panels as they would be easier to remove if necessary at a later date.

“We have an objective to reduce carbon on our buildings and the public are saying they want solar panels on roofs rather than on fields,” said Cllr Hames.

Planning manager Helen Smith said the applicant – the council – would be willing to remove the solar panels or install other panels suitable to the committee.

She added if the item was deferred further consideration could be given to possibly removing the heat pumps or coming up with an alternative proposal.

Councillors, who were initially looking to refuse the application, agreed this as a way forward.

The fitness centre would be run by the council’s leisure company Active Torridge which has made a success of the district’s three leisure centres and calls the old library gym as its next ‘big ticket project’.

But there has been some opposition locally to the plans, with residents saying it would be more appropriate as a museum or other heritage attraction.