Power station site could become tourist destination

But 700 people object to North Devon plan

Plans for the major redevelopment of the former Yelland power station on the North Devon waterfront east of Appledore are being recommended for approval despite more than 700 objections.

The scheme includes 250 new homes, employment land, retail space, cafes and restaurants, indoor sports provision, public halls, with a unique community centre building almost floating at the heart of the mini development.

It is more than five years since plans to develop the site on the Yelland Quay between Fremington and Instow were initially revealed, and they have since gone through several iterations including the additional and subsequent removal of a hotel, and a reduction in housing.

Despite the objections, North Devon Council planners have recommended that the plans are given the green light, saying that benefits  outweigh any impacts it would cause.

If approved, the development would be undertaken in nine phases over about 13 years, with the first phase involving the demolition of all existing structures, before the design of the new sea defences (rock armour) needed to protect the area from flooding.

Recommending approval, the planning officers' report says: “The economic benefits of the proposal would be strong, including the creation of jobs, the addition of spending power to the local economy and the new homes bonus and would result in the regeneration of this semi derelict site.

“Social benefits would include meeting general housing needs but would not meet affordable housing needs. It is recognised that affordable housing is a pressing issue but the viability of the scheme has been fully tested and only the financial package is available.

“The delivery of housing in itself must be given significant weight as the housing development on this allocated brownfield site would help contribute towards the council’s five year housing land supply.

“Environmentally, the impact of development would be adverse in landscape terms, however mitigation exists which would reduce these impacts over time and beyond a local context, but not negate them entirely, and the location of the site and offers the potential for reductions in car use, which would be an environmental benefit."

Supporting statements with the application on behalf of Yelland Quay Ltd, said regeneration promotes Yelland Quay as a destination hotspot for leisure and tourism including retail and restaurants with the creation of a new social hub along the Tarka trail, presents a fantastic opportunity for tourism with the North Devon Biosphere on its doorstep, and would see the former power station basement partially flooded with a unique community centre building almost floating at the heart of the  development.

Hundreds of objectors complained of a lack of the necessary infrastructure, the form the development is taking, the design, transport and access issues, damage to ecology and the natural environment, flood risk, and that the economic benefits are not as large as the applicants claim.”

A virtual site visit will take place on Wednesday 21 April 21, before planners will make their decision at the planning committee meeting, also held virtually, a week later.