Decision put off on Dartmoor hotel plans

The £5.2m scheme is for an 80-bed Premier Inn near the A38

A decision over whether a new 80-bedroom Premier Inn on the edge of the A38 in the Dartmoor National Park should be built has been deferred.

The £5.2m scheme would also have seen a restaurant and a car park built on the Dolbeare Meadow Business Park in Ashburton.

Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Development Management Committee, when it met on Friday, were recommended to refuse the plans.

But prior to the item being discussed, Philip Sanders, chairman of the committee, announced it would be deferred until a later date.

One of the reasons officers were recommending refusal was that there was insufficient information submitted to assess the likely impact from the proposed development on bats and likely significant effect on the South Hams Special Area of Conservation.

There had been insufficient evidence submitted to enable an Habitat Regulations Assessment to be carried out, ensuring there is no harm to protected species, but late information relating to this matter had been put forward.

Mr Sanders said: “There has not been sufficient time for the officers to analyse it properly so we cannot issue a decision one way or the other today as the officers cannot make any full recommendation to the committee, so we would not be able to make a valid decision.”

Planning team manager Chris Hart added that it was an important matter and the National Park Authority were obliged to do the proper assessments. He said that he hoped this would be carried out swiftly and the application could be considered at the November or December meeting.

The application had been recommended for refusal, with officers saying: “The proposal is not for a small scale hotel, in the context of the National Park and there is insufficient detail to demonstrate that there would be financial and economic benefit to the locality, which would not otherwise be gained by an employment use on this site.

“The design is not considered to be locally distinctive to reflect the character of the host settlement. It would have a detrimental impact upon the gateway into Ashburton, and the National Park. It is recommended that this proposal be refused.”

Premier Inn have said that can be flexible on the design and if the committee do not like the proposed design, they can switch to one which meets the case officer’s preference.

If it had been approved, Premier Inn were hoping to start construction in 2020 with a targeted opening date of early to mid 2021.