Big wheel back in Torquay after planning row

Ride operator Mellors said the new English Riviera Wheel is 45m (147ft) tall

A tourist attraction has returned to a Devon seaside town after a planning row put it under threat.

The English Riviera Wheel has been set up Torquay's Princess Gardens with a new 147ft (45m) Ferris wheel featuring 36 air-conditioned pods.

It comes after planning officers at Torbay Council advised members of the planning committee in April to reject an application from operator Mellors to bring the wheel back.

Committee members went against the recommendation and voted unanimously to approve the application.

The council said the wheel would be open from 10:00 to 22:00 BST Monday-Saturday and from 10:00 to 22:00 on Sundays.

The wheel has been an attraction brought to Torquay each summer since 2012 and Mellors has to apply for permission to erect the ride every year.

This year, planning officers said the ride was "alien and incongruous" and would harm to local heritage, but councillors said it was an "iconic part of Torquay".

'Symbol of Torbay'

James Mellors, director of Mellors, said this year's wheel was bigger than previous editions, which had been 100ft tall.

He said there was an "element of worry" when planning officers advised rejecting the company's proposal.

However, he said he felt confident as the wheel had "become a symbol of Torbay".

"The public interest and support has been fantastic and it's really pleasing as a company to feel that you are bringing something that is appreciated by the locals," he said.

Carolyn Custerson, chief executive of the English Riveria Business Improvement District, said having the wheel back would give the local tourism industry a "significant boost".

"It is a crucial part of our tourism product here and it is photographed and shared through social media channels across the world," she said.