Over the years a number of planning applications have been submitted for the redevelopment of Sladnor Park. These included

  • the construction of a hotel,
  • the development of a holiday village and
  • the development of private dwellings.

Additionally, ‘exotic’ proposals put forward also included the formation of a golf area as well as alterations to water courses in order to form lakes within the grounds.

However, none were ever realised, and the fate and future of Sladnor Park hung, seemingly suspended in time, for some twenty years.

A succession of different owners have struggled, and ultimately failed, to implement any development proposals at Sladnor Park, such are the complexities of overcoming a long list of planning and ecological constraints.

Torbay Coastal Heritage Trust have documented the planning history of Sladnor. It is given below.


PLANNING HISTORY

Applications by Richmond Care Villages Holdings Ltd.
P/2006/0474 Original Redevelopment To Provide “Retirement Village” (Class C2) Approval 21 June 2006
RM/2007/1410 Amendment to Retirement Village (Class 2)
P/2008/1418 Amendments to the above applications
P/2009/0240 re 10 independent living units
Approval 29th June 2009

In 2018 the above permissions had expired for six years on basis:-
By law 2009, the planning permissions granted expire after a certain period. Generally, unless your permission says otherwise, you have three years from the date it’s granted to begin the development. If you haven’t started work by then, the approval is revoked.

First work under Health and Safety would require improvement to access from main road; no improvement work was carried out.

Application by English Care Villages LTD
P/2018/1053 New Application by new applicants for their further new and extended development into open green space. Without any prior outline planning approval. Subject to a multitude of new National and Local adopted Planning Policies since 2009 that if in force in 2006 would not have permitted the original development to be approved.

This application requires consideration as a first application for development in accordance with legal and adopted regulations at todays date.


So what is the situation?

As far as we are informed, Torbay council’s legal opinion is that the PA from 2006 has lapsed.

Furthermore, Sladnor Park has been designated as Open Countryside by Torbay council.

Sladnor Park is in the Countryside Zone, where no development should be permitted.

The revised Local Plan places strict controls on Sladnor Park and precludes any development at such a sensitive site.