£2 million plan for former sorting office approved

North Devon Council’s planning committee back proposals for flats and commercial space

A £2 million plan to breathe life into the old Ilfracombe Royal Mail delivery office has taken a step forward with the granting of planning consent for homes, retail and exhibition spaces.

The North Devon Council scheme is being paid for with cash from the Devon and Torbay devolution deal to deliver good quality housing in the town.

The council’s planning committee supported the application at its meeting on Wednesday.

Cllr June Williams (Lib Dem, Ilfracombe East) called the proposal for the five storey building at 37-38 High Street “exciting”.

“I very much welcome this application, a lot of hard work has gone into it,” she said. “The Royal Mail side has relocated to Mullacott (Industrial estate) so that is now a totally redundant building.

“Everybody that knows Ilfracombe will know it is in a very prominent site. I think it is great that we have purchased a building and it will be used for something that is of value to the residents and the commercial use is also an exciting proposal.”

The building, constructed in 1910 has a wealth of character features. It will house eight flats on the first, second and third floors whilst the ground floor will be turned into flexible shop and exhibition spaces with a servery with seating to provide light refreshments.

A sorting office overseer’s room and safe room will be retained to preserve the history of the building and add interest to the conversion.

Improvement works will be carried out on the lower ground floor to create better storage space and operate in conjunction with the commercial ground floor.

Comments were received by the planning department supporting the scheme in terms of both the residential accommodation and suggesting that the building would also make a great new home for the Ilfracombe museum.

Various conditions have been attached to the planning consent to protect the amenity of local residents during the construction phase.

The council will also make a contribution of £7,500 towards off site public open space as part of a section 106 legal agreement. Proposals include the improvement of the Cow Green community garden, the Oxford Park play area, Ilfracombe Bowls Club and rugby football club pavilion.

North Devon Council is conducting a pilot project to see if intervening in the Ilfracombe housing market will help to improve the standards of existing low-quality homes.

Twenty per cent of households are living in poverty in Ilfracombe and poor quality housing is said to be contributing to the town having one of the lowest life expectancies in the county.

Last summer North Devon Council agreed to becoming a registered housing provider and have its own social homes for the first time in 25 years.

It had the backing of 84 per cent of people who took part in a housing strategy consultation who said they wanted the council to own more social housing.