PLANNING permission for 48 brand new retirement apartments in Tavistock were last week approved by West Devon Borough Council.

Churchill Retirement Living — a developer specialising in the provision of purpose-built apartments designed for older people — was granted planning permission to build the retirement apartments on the former site of Harewood House care home site on Plymouth Road which is currently disused and in a state of disrepair.

Proposals to build 48, one and two bedroom apartments for the over 60s, were originally put forward to West Devon Borough Council in August last year.

They showed that the apartments would be overseen by a lodge manager, would have a 24-hour care line, an owners’ lounge and a guest suite on the site on Plymouth Road. Standing at three storeys high, the developers said that the project would be a ‘positive contribution’ to the character and appearance of the area, relating ‘sensitively’ to the adjacent buildings.

The borough council approved the plans, subject to the Section 106 legal agreement to secure £159,261 contribution towards affordable housing, £25,000 contribution towards the Tavistock Sensory Garden on Plymouth Road and junction improvements to the A390 northern arm of the Drake’s Statue roundabout, which is adjacent to the site.

Wendy Ormsby, case officer for West Devon Borough Council, stated in her report that one of the key issues was to ensure that the development was not detrimental to the history of Tavistock, which is the gateway to the World Heritage Site.

There are a number of Listed buildings within the vicinity of the site, including Ford Street cottages, Drake’s Statue, Plymouth Road buildings and the Grade II* Listed Catholic church on Callington Road.

Wendy Ormsby said: ‘The site is within a conservation area, within the World Heritage Site and is within the setting of Listed buildings. The key issue is to ensure that the design of the new development preserves and enhances the character and appearance of the conservation area, the World Heritage Site and does not adversely impact on the setting of the Listed building. Also important is the impact of the development on neighbours.’

A spokesperson from Churchill said that the delivery of the apartments would meet existing and future need in the area and provide older people with ‘safety, security and companionship’, a ‘bespoke building which complements the existing streetscape’ and would reduce the need to travel by car due to the proximity to local facilities.

Andrew Burgess, group land and planning director of Churchill Retirement Living, said: ‘This is very positive news for Tavistock and I would like to thank everyone who has helped towards achieving this result.

‘We believe there is a compelling overall housing need in the local area, and helping older people to downsize will free up more family housing for younger people in and around the town.’