New care home given approval despite criticism

A design of the new care home planned for Steamer Quay, Totnes

Developers have been given the go ahead to build a 68-bed care home in Totnes despite criticism.

The developers, Luna Rock Ltd, already have permission to build a home on the sloping site overlooking the River Dart with the same number of beds.

But the company came back to South Hams Council asking permission for a larger building catering for the same number of people.

The building will stay within the same footprint but will be slight higher in places.

Neil McTaggart, whose home overlooks the site off Steamer Quay Road, said the building would "dominate the space rather than blending into the hillside".

"It is totally out of keeping with Totnes," he said.

Councillor Georgina Allen said she was concerned about overdevelopment of the site and the stability of the ground beneath.

"What used to be a very beautiful entrance to Totnes, from the river, has changed enormously," she said.

"I supported the original scheme, which had taken real care to blend in. This one just seems a retrograde step."

Councillors were told the new proposal featured a better standard of accommodation and it would be an "exemplary" design.

A move to refuse the application was defeated and it passed by six votes to three.