Plans for nine homes to be built at hospital

The land is on a greenfield area within the built-up confines of the hospital

Nine new homes could be built at a hospital site.

The development was proposed by the Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust and approved by Torbay Council in principle, with more details to be filed later.

The land off Greenswood Road, in Brixham, is on a greenfield area within the built-up confines of the hospital.

Brixham Town Council did not object to the plans, which were approved by officers and have not been on the agenda for Torbay Council's planning committee.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that in March 2014 planning permission was granted for a 36-bedroom residential care home on the site, but that was never completed.

Part of the site has since been developed as the Friends Centre for day care.

The application said: "At this stage, the purpose is solely to establish whether the site is suitable in principle for this form and scale of development."

It added: "The scale and nature of development is modest and appropriate and can be accommodated without unacceptable impact on the amenity of neighbouring uses, the local environment, or the historic setting of the Higher Brixham Conservation Area and nearby listed buildings."