A £75m hotel development on Torquay seafront has been granted planning permission. The project, submitted by Torbay Council, will overlook the harbour and include 150 bedrooms, a rooftop bar, and ground floor shops and restaurants.
Some residents objected, saying the hotel was too large and would not fit the surrounding area. However, the council's planning committee approved the scheme on Wednesday. The council will now seek a developer and hotel operator to deliver the project.
The Debenhams site has been empty since the store closed in 2021. The development will involve full or partial demolition of buildings along the Strand between the Yates pub and Hoopers department store, both of which will remain.
Torbay Civic Society objected due to the size of the development, while Historic England raised concerns about the impact on The Terrace, built in 1811, which sits behind the planned hotel site.
The council has already bought most of the properties on the site and said it would consider compulsory purchase orders for the two remaining properties it does not own.
Council leader David Thomas, Conservative, called the development a "gamechanger" for the town. He said funding would come from council cash, possible grant funding, and private investment.
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Torquay £75m Hotel Project Given Planning Approval