"Ghastly" Torquay hotel to be converted into flats

A “massive improvement.”

A “ghastly”  nineteenth century Torquay hotel is to be converted into 12 flats following a decision by planners.

The Seabury Hotel on the corner Manor and Stanley Road closed at the start of the pandemic.

Although built between the 1830s and 1860s, the hotel, a 20-minute walk from Oddicombe Beach, has a number of extensions that are considered out of place with the building’s “historic character.”

These are to be demolished and replaced with a new two-storey extension and a new two-storey building at the back.

Speaking at Torbay Council’s planning committee, councillor Judith Mills (Independent, Churston with Galmpton) described the current building as “pretty ghastly looking.” 

She added: “What’s going in its place will be much better.” 

Councillor Chris Lewis (Conservatives, Preston) said: “I think it’s sad when we actually lose hotels in the Bay. We are trying to become the premier resort in the United Kingdom if not the world and if we let too many hotels go we will find that we had people who wished to come to the Bay but can’t find the accommodation.”

Cllr Lewis was particularly worried about the loss of cheaper hotels and B&Bs, arguing: “We’ve got to make sure we don’t allow too many to go.”

Councillor Jack Dart (Lib Dems, Ellacombe) recognised councillor Lewis’ concerns but concluded it was better for the building to go: “This is a hotel that’s in a pretty poor state really. It’s not a particularly good-looking hotel.”

He said the new development would be a “massive improvement.”

The hotel will be replaced by  four one-bed flats, six two-bed flats and two three-bed flats.

Twelve car parking spaces will be provided, three of which will have electric charging points, with the current car access from Manor Road maintained. Storage for 28 bikes will be included too.

The applicant is a Mr Hill from Eight Technology Ltd, an Exeter-based software company. The designs have been made by EMPERY + Co Ltd, a Dorset-based architecture firm.

It is the second time plans to convert the hotel have been sent to the council. A previous proposal for 15 flats was rejected. Officers said this original plans had a different design: “that was considered to portray a poor pastiche.”