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Popular Exmouth soft play could be turned into flats

Wednesday, 14 August 2019 11:30

By Daniel Clark, Local Democracy Reporting Service

Image: Google Maps

Planning submitted for Sam's Funhouse

Samantha’s on St Andrews Road closed back in 2008 and in 2014 it was converted into Sam’s Funhouse, an indoor children’s play area.

But a planning application has now been submitted by Stag Inns which would see the redevelopment of the whole of the site on the corner of St Andrews Road and Imperial Road.

The scheme would see not only Sam’s Funhouse demolished, but also see two pubs – The Bank and Number 9 Sports Bar – knocked down as well.

A new development would be built in its place, consisting of 35 apartments on the upper floors, and a café/bar, restaurant and a youth centre on the ground floor.

Location plans indicate that the Exmouth Young People’s Centre, known as The Hive, would also be part of the redevelopment proposals, but a youth centre on the ground floor is part of the new plans for the site.

A statement with the application says: “This proposal will provide new facilities for the Young People’s Centre within the proposal.”

The statement also outlines how the scheme would meet the housing needs of Exmouth, reduce anti-social behaviour due to the more socialble hours of operation, but maintain the use of the site as a café/bar, restaurant and youth centre.

They add: “The proposal looks to change the use of the upper floor to accommodation in the form of 35 residential apartments. The ground floor will be maintained as businesses which will contain a café and restaurant and youth centre.

“The proposal will provide for new apartments within the town centre, contributing to the Exmouth Housing Need and providing a proportion of affordable housing (25 per cent) within a sustainable location in the town centre.”

Image ARA Architecture - from the planning application.

The statement says that the scheme proposes to maintain the assembly and leisure, restaurant and café, and drinking establishment class uses that exist currently on the site and will enable the jobs lost to be replaced, and that while the current businesses on site operate primarily in the evening, this will provide a wider range of operational times and reduce anti-social hours of operation.

It adds: “The continued use of the two late opening public houses could be detrimental to the quality of life of the adjacent residential dwellings. The proposals will maintain the class use and provide new businesses for drinking and food consumption that will operate in more sociable hours.

“The proposed development meets the objectives to reuse existing developed land, provide affordable housing and business use, and provide a sustainable development.”

East Devon District Council planners will determine the fate of the application at a later date.

 

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