THE latest application for the re-development of the Tides Reach Hotel in South Sands has attracted hundreds of comments both in support and objection.

And with a decision expected by South Hams Council’s development management committee at the end of the month, the debate on whether or not the hotel would improve or detract from the area is dividing opinions.

The plans are for the refurbishment and extension of the existing hotel, including the building of a new bedroom wing to form a 44 bedroom, four star hotel and the creation of ten apartments with associated car parking.

The Harbour Hotels Group bought the Tides Reach Hotel last year when Eden Hotels pulled out of the project due to ‘public opposition’ to their plans, despite receiving planning permission from South Hams Council. The group also own the recently developed Harbour Hotel on Cliff Road.

At last count, the plans had attracted 154 comments in support, 113 in objection and three ‘neither’.

The Keep South Sands Beautiful campaign group, who oppose the development, have taken issue with the veracity of many of the supporting letters.

A spokesperson for the group said: ‘The SHDC planning website figures are incorrect, both as to their totals and as to their implications for the weight to be ascribed to them.

‘We have analysed the number and nature of all of the actual letters of support and, for the sake of fairness and comparison, that of the letters of objection as well.’

The group claim that of the letters of support, ‘only 27 are by individuals acting in their own right.’

KSSB has drawn attention to the foyer of the Harbour Hotel, where there are display boards and a table with six different piles of template letters in support of the application.

Members of the public and hotel guests are given the opportunity to view the plans, and sign a letter expressing support for the development. The letters are then collected and submitted by Harbour Hotels to South Hams Council.

A spokesperson for KSSB said: ‘Of the six model letters, one of them includes a ‘five-line model letter signed by 11 individuals claiming to be local businesses that have budgeted for an increase in staff in 2018 based on the new hotel.

‘Of these only two have local addresses five have addresses elsewhere and four give no address at all.’

But Jason Parry, general manager at the Harbour Hotel explained that there was nothing untoward going on: ‘We welcome and encourage locals to visit our Salcombe Harbour Hotel to view display boards that showcase our plans for our second Salcombe property.

‘We appreciate that people may have questions on the development and we are on hand to answer any queries - we have also drafted a letter of support for those wishing to send this on to South Hams Council.’

While Mike Warren, managing director of the Harbour Hotels Group, said: ‘All letters of support have been submitted from individuals – either regular visitors to the area or those with a keen interest in the local community.’

When asked how South Hams Council considers identikit comments, a spokesperson said: ‘It is up to an individual how they wish to make representations in connection with a planning application, as long as the individual clearly indicates their own name on each and any representation.

‘Any representations received are expected to be sent in an ethical manner and not to be of a fraudulent nature. The planning content of a letter of representation is considered during the application, the degree of weight it should be afforded is the judgement of the decision maker.’

However many people are in support of the development, describing the current state of the building as an ‘eyesore’ and citing the new plans as a vast improvement on the previous plans by the Eden group, described by one Salcombe councillor as ‘looking like a cruise liner.’

Kingsbridge and Salcombe Chamber of Commerce have drawn praise for the ‘staff accommodation and parking’ included in the plans.

James Spencer, vice-chair of the chamber of commerce said: ‘Chamber members are very concerned indeed about staff accommodation and parking for Salcombe. These concerns are based on member experience, also evidence by recent research by the Salcombe Development Plan and South Hams Council’s business survey.

‘In this context it is both refreshing and pleasing to see some consideration of these problems in the plans for the Tides Reach.

Mr Spencer continued: ‘We’ve seen recognised businesses move out of Salcombe over the past 24 months because of staff shortages. Other businesses simply haven’t been able to launch for the same reason. If staff accommodation isn’t a top priority for planners and developers now, then individual businesses and small companies in the area will continue to suffer and the creation of quality jobs for local people will be a non-starter.

‘In the case of the Tides Reach redevelopment plans, we see no reasonable cause to delay development.

‘But the chamber of commerce has respectfully requested that with the granted approval a condition is included for works to be undertaken at the site at such a time so as to cause minimal disruption to prevent significant loss of trade to the businesses in the area, i.e. not during peak tourism periods,’ Mr Spencer added.

Another comment, submitted to South Hams Council in support of the application said: ‘The site is in dire need of redevelopment and the new plans are a vast improvement on the previously approved scheme.

‘The site is currently vacant and in danger of becoming an eyesore and I think the proposals will considerably enhance the area and offer visitors and local residents a wonderful place to stay and relax.

‘The new design fits well into the valley and will be a considerable improvement and amenity to Salcombe.’

Salcombe Town Council objected to the first plans from the Harbour Hotels Group, submitted in December 2015, but raised no objection to the revised plans, which were submitted in July this year.

Salcombe Mayor, Cllr Mike Fice explained the main improvement was that the new plans don’t ‘go so far across the valley’ and that ‘they’ve pushed the whole building back, allowing for car parking in front for the flats.’

Cllr Fice said: ‘Any application has to be a compromise between the size of the building and sustainability for the company. The National Planning Policy Framework states that any building has to be sustainable.’

But Malborough Parish Council, who stands to be significantly impacted during the construction phase said: ‘We have real and valid concerns regarding access for the build and the impact of the construction traffic on the parish - a decent routing plan for the build is required.

A spokesperson added: ‘The council also takes the view that this redevelopment should be an opportunity to restore the free flowing of the stream through the site to stop flooding immediately upstream.’

Jacqui Squire, from the Southern Mill Caravan Park, whose property borders the Tides Reach Hotel raised similar concerns relating to the stream.

Mrs Squire explained: ‘The stream meanders through the valley and our land, and then reaches the Tides Reach ornamental gardens and pond, immediately adjacent to the play area of Southern Mill Caravan Park.

‘We have asked, ‘how do you intend in getting water to run into the pond?’ To this we had no reply but know from past experience, a sluice gate is inserted into the stream to raise the water level and allow it to fill the pond.

Mrs Squire continued: ‘This of course allows the silt to build up in the stream. Also the higher water level fills the leat which then soaks back into the play area rendering it to become swampy and unfit for purpose, and making it impossible for us to cut the grass.

‘Our caravan site licence instructs us to provide this play area for children.’

Jason Parry, general manager at the Salcombe Harbour Hotel, spoke enthusiastically about the development, drawing attention to the creation of ‘around 60 jobs.’

‘The plans are to create another stunning waterfront boutique hotel, spa and restaurant and the expertise to transform the vacant property into a thriving leisure business. We intend to remodel Tides Reach sensitively into another superb hotel, alongside ten apartments within the existing building. These will contribute towards the hotel development and spa refurbishment costs,’ Mr Parry said.

‘Introducing our relaxed upper deck bar and restaurant dining concept, alongside a luxurious harbour spa, the design will be in keeping with the area and closer in appearance to the neighbouring properties. We are confident that a newly designed, informal, relaxed hotel with a spa membership open to local people will be welcomed by the majority.

‘Creating around 60 jobs once the hotel is fully operational, the hotel will not only further boost local tourism, but will welcome additional Harbour Hotels’ concepts for locals to enjoy.’

But the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have consistently objected to this, and all previous plans for the hotel, and said: ‘The South Devon AONB supports the principle of redeveloping the Tides Reach Hotel as a hotel and in a manner that is consistent with the landscape and environmental constraints of the site’s location and setting.

‘However, in its revised form, we feel the current scheme fails to do this.’

The comment added that the ‘mass, bulk, design and prominent location of the proposed buildings constitutes an over-development of the site and would dominate the beach head,’ and the design style is ‘at odds with the more muted and informal style of most other buildings in the immediate vicinity, including the South Sands Hotel and adjacent former lifeboat station.’

But Mr Warren from the Harbour Hotels Group remains positive: ‘We are delighted to be presented with this opportunity and we believe it will bring many benefits to the town and region - our Salcombe Harbour Hotel has already increased the number of visitors to the area and we are equally confident that the sensitive refurbishment of Tides Reach, with further additional enhancements and the introduction of our group’s award-winning concepts, will be of benefit to the local economy and community.’

The application will be decided at the South Hams Council’s development management committee meeting, at Follaton House on Wednesday, September 28 at 10.30am.

The plans can be seen on the South Hams Council website, using the reference 2826/15/FUL.