To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 18 August 2025.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 18 August 2025 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Demolition of existing dwelling, garage and outbuildings and construction of ten dwellings plus associated access, parking, infrastructure, landscaping and associated works.  (Part-retrospective).

The Committee considered a major planning application for the demolition of existing dwelling, garage and outbuildings and construction of ten dwellings plus associated access, parking, infrastructure, landscaping and associated works. (Part retrospective).

Prior to the meeting, Members of the Planning Committee undertook a site visit and written representations were available on the Council’s website.  At the meeting Amy Roberts addressed the Committee in support of the application. 

Resolved (unanimously):

Approval subject to:

1.             the completion of a unilateral undertaking;

2.             an additional planning condition requiring the strip to the rear of the coach houses to be for maintenance purposes only and to such to managed by a Management Company;

3.             an amendment to planning condition 2 in respect of boundary treatments to include ‘height’;

4.             the planning conditions outlined in the submitted report, with the final drafting of planning conditions delegated to the Divisional Director of Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency; and

5.             the resolution of any new material considerations that may come to light following Planning Committee to be delegated to the Divisional Director of Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency, including the addition of any necessary further planning conditions or obligations.

Demolition and associated works to adjoining structures to south and west elevations of Pannier Market including removal of internal fixtures.  Formation of arched openings and new emergency escape doors to south and west elevations.

The Committee considered a listed building consent application for the demolition and associated works to adjoining structures to south and west elevations of the Pannier Market including removal of internal fixtures.  Formation of arched openings and new emergency escape doors to south and west elevation.

Prior to the meeting, Members of the Planning Committee undertook a site visit and written representations were available on the Council’s website.  At the meeting Bethan Huntley addressed the Committee against the application. Dr Rodney Horderaddressed the Committee on behalf of the Torquay Neighbourhood Forum in support of the application.  Phil Jones addressed the Committee in support of the application.

In accordance with Standing Order B4.1 Councillor Long addressed the Committee in support of the principle of the application but against the number of homes to be provided on the site as he felt there should be higher numbers of homes.

At the meeting the Planning Officer advised, that since the report had been published a consultation response had been received from the Victorian Society dated 11 September 2025 as follows:

“Thank you for consulting us on the above application and the resubmission of additional details. 

Whilst the applicant has now more clearly demonstrated the public benefit to this scheme, The Society agrees that there is a need to regenerate the Pannier Market, and to do so would prove a positive benefit - the current schedule of planning documents demonstrates an ambitious plan that is not yet fully realised. 

Namely, there are logistics to this design that have not been appropriately considered. Especially when the proposed will result in the entire loss of the original C19 fabric from the south and west elevations, these details ought to be well-established in the proposal before the level of harm and risk can be proportionally considered. These losses will most likely cause a moderate to high level of less than substantial harm to the significance of the building,

In the first instance, we recommend that the applicant undertake some investigative work to verify the viability of the existing historic fabric, as well as a detailed outline of these features and how they will be retained and conserved in the scheme. For example, could some of the architectural details on these elevations be re-incorporated into the proposed?

If your authority should be minded that demolition is deemed essential, we recommend that all features be subject to a building recording, to ensure that what is lost is amply recorded.”

Resolved (unanimously):

Approval subject to:

1.             planning condition 5 to be revised to provide a stone cleaning strategy for the Pannier Market;

2.             the planning conditions outlined in the submitted report, with the final drafting of planning conditions delegated to the Divisional Director of Planning, Housing and Climate Emergency;

3.             receiving a consultation response from Natural England to confirm no objection to the Council’s Appropriate Assessment; and

4.             The resolution of any new material considerations that may come to light following Planning Committee to be delegated to the Divisional  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Partial demolition of existing shopping centre, demolition of 9 no. commercial units fronting on Union Street and Market Street and partial demolition of modern additions to Pannier Market.  Redevelopment of site to provide residential development with associated amenity space, creation of new Class E commercial unit, repurposing of retained shopping centre floorspace sited below multistorey car park for Class E uses and associated external alterations, external works to Pannier Market, creation of public square and associated development infrastructure and works.

The Committee considered a major planning application for the Partial demolition of existing shopping centre, demolition of 9 commercial units fronting on Union Street and Market Street and partial demolition of modern additions to Pannier Market.  Redevelopment of site to provide residential development with associated amenity space, creation of new Class E commercial unit, repurposing of retained shopping centre floorspace sited below multistorey car park for Class E uses and associated external alterations, external works to Pannier Market, creation of public square and associated development infrastructure and works.

Prior to the meeting, Members of the Planning Committee undertook a site visit and written representations were available on the Council’s website.  At the meeting Bethan Huntley addressed the Committee against the application. Dr Rodney Horderaddressed the Committee on behalf of the Torquay Neighbourhood Forum in support of the application.  Phil Jones addressed the Committee in support of the application.

In accordance with Standing Order B4.1 Councillor Long addressed the Committee in support of the principle of the application but against the number of homes to be provided on the site as he felt there should be higher numbers of homes.

At the meeting the Planning Officer advised, that since the report had been published the following items had arisen:

·                1 no. additional letter of objection had been received, concerns that had not previously been raised were regarding loss of light.

·                Typographic error on Page 128, stating “990no. residential units” instead of “99no. residential units”.

·                Page 131 revision to the sentence stating: “The proposal will deliver a new NHS facility in a sustainable and accessible location” to “It is envisaged that the proposal will provide a new NHS facility in a sustainable and accessible location”.

·                Page 136 revision to third bullet point to include highlighted text “Block C – Existing Union Square Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP), will maintain existing 451no. Car parking spaces and provide up to 4no. new commercial units across the ground and first floors within former Union Square Shopping Centre floorspace”.

·                Typographic error on Page 136, within the brackets of the third paragraph, “Torquay Harbour” should be included.

·                Natural England were yet to provide a consultation response to the Council’s Appropriate Assessment.

Revision to the Statement on Human Rights and Equalities Issues on Page 151 (Additional text in bold italics)

The application has been assessed against the provisions of the Act, and in particular Article 1 of the First Protocol and Article 8 of the Act.  This Act gives further effect to the rights included in the European Convention on Human Rights.  In arriving at this recommendation, due regard has been given to the applicant's reasonable development rights and expectations which have been balanced and weighed against the wider community interests, as expressed through third party interests / the Development Plan and Central Government Guidance.

While it is acknowledged that planning decisions may affect the rights of individuals, in this case, any interference is considered to be justified, proportionate, and necessary in pursuit of the legitimate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.