Information and history about Sladnor Park, Maidencombe

Sladnor Park constitutes one of the largest parts of Maidencombe, Torquay (some 61 acres) containing sloping fields, woodlands rich with wildlife and chalet bungalows.

Sladnor Park – Brief planning history & recent developments

Sladnor Park operated as a holiday complex until 1988 when it closed down and changed ownership. At that time, it consisted of eight pairs of holiday lodges (sixteen units) plus thirty two holiday chalets. The main house, a Victorian Red Devon Sandstone building of considerable historic interest, contained leisure facilities which included a bar, restaurant, ballroom, staff accommodation and three letting flatlets. Nearby, a swimming pool and tennis courts augmented the complex.

A ‘suspicious’ fire gutted the main house in 1994 and the shell was subsequently demolished.

A year later, a planning application was submitted for the redevelopment of the site for leisure use. This was defined as a ‘holiday village’ comprising 150 units, a hotel complex of 100 bedrooms and 40 linked suites. 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.

Photo above:  The footprint of the demolished Sladnor Manor House (behind solitary fir tree)

The proposed ‘holiday village’ was considered to have a ‘significant’ impact upon existing wooded areas.

In 1996, the redevelopment of the site for leisure use was downgraded to:- 80 bedrooms and 30 linked holiday suites.

The application was withdrawn on 15 July 1996.

In 2001, there was a renewal of the Redevelopment of Site for leisure use comprising hotel complex – 80 bedrooms and 30 linked holiday suites.

The application was approved.

In 2006, a new redevelopment to provide a “Retirement Village” (Class C2) comprising 24 independent living units, 92 care suites, 90 bed care units, associated healthcare, leisure and restaurant facilities was submitted. The proposal also outlined the retention of 3 pairs of existing lodges along with landscaping and parking. The application was approved.

In April of 2009, there was a reserved matters submission in respect of ten independent living units as part of the Retirement Village.

The application was approved.

Most of the lodges are now on short term renewable lets. The banks of tiny holiday chalets were demolished some time after the fire of  ’94.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

• Sladnor Park removed from housing quotas delivery by Torbay council.
• Richmond Torquay (Jersey) Ltd put Sladnor Park up for sale.

TORBAY LOCAL PLAN (Torbay Council – 14 August 2015)
TORBAY COUNCIL RESPONSE TO REPRESENTATIONS ON SCHEDULE OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE FEBRUARY 2014 SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL REPORT REPRESENTATIONS BY CONSULTEE/ORGANISATION

Subsequently Sladnor Park was removed from housing quotas.

Richmond Torquay (Jersey) Ltd response to this decision:

“Richmond Torquay (Jersey) Ltd object to removal of Sladnor Park, Maidencombe which has an extant planning permission (P/2008/1418) for a retirement village.  The Council’s ecological evidence (Greenbridge Ltd) suggests that Sladnor Park is deliverable.”

Torbay council response to the objection:

“There is some question over whether permission P/2008/1418 has been lawfully commenced (which would keep the permission alive).  The Council has suggested that the site’s owners should establish this through a Certificate of Lawfulness.
Natural England’s letter of 18 March 2015 indicates that additional information would be required to locate GHB roosting and assess its significance.
The Greenbridge Report (TCMOD/16) indicated that developing Sladnor Park has the potential to affect adversely the integrity of the SAC and as a minimum, a screening is necessary to establish any likely significant effect.
On this basis, the Proposed Replacement Modifications removed the site because of uncertainty about likely significant effects on bats.
The site is not a strategically significant one and could come forward for delivery should biodiversity and landscape issues be overcome.
However, commensurate with the site’s rural setting, any development would need to be relatively low density and provide proper landscaping and ecological safeguards/enhancement.
Site not specifically assessed in SA as site not suitable for identification as a Future Growth Area in Policy SS2.”

After the objection the council decided the following:

“No change recommended to the Sustainability Appraisal Report.”

 

 

Photo above:  A rare photo of the original Sladnor Manor House

Sladnor Park is now home to various wildlife,  including  a substantial colony  of Greater and Lesser Horseshoe bats, badgers, foxes, cirl bunting birds, kestrels and slow-worms.

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SLADNOR PARK  – WILDLIFE HAVEN

A perspective by Jim Campbell

The fate and future of Sladnor Park have hung, seemingly suspended in time, for some twenty years.

First, a hotel ‘holiday village’ complex was proposed in 1995, then after numerous objections, surveys and delays was amended to a ‘retirement village’  in 2006 by the new owners Richmond Villages. The approved application was kept quietly ticking over for another nine years, with the fortunate (for objectors) intervention of a double-dip recession which prevented the project being initiated.

In July 2013, Sladnor Park came under the heading of Richmond Torquay (Jersey) Ltd which was formed a month before the acquisition of Richmond Villages by BUPA.

Although it was assumed that this was an associated arm of Richmond Villages, it has been stated that there is no connection with Richmond Villages (or BUPA).

In August of 2013, Richmond Villages was acquired by the international healthcare group BUPA.  However, allegedly, shareholders voted against the inclusion of Sladnor Park in the deal.

A change of tack by the new owners was signalled after the Retirement Village application P/2008/1418  lapsed and it was indicated to Torbay council that a new application of 25 houses would be forthcoming.

However, a whole new dimension to the almost soap-style saga of Sladnor Park was realised when Natural England objected to what they saw as over-development of Sladnor to the detriment of resident endangered wildlife species and in particular the substantial roosts of greater and lesser horseshoe bats.

Shortly afterwards, in a sensational move, Torbay council removed Sladnor Park from their housing quotas as being deliverable to central government.

Predictably, the owners, Richmond Torquay (Jersey) Ltd registered their objection to this unfortunate (for them) turn of events.  (See ‘Recent Developments’ above.)

The owners, Richmond Torquay (Jersey) Ltd have now decided to put Sladnor Park on the market.  They have enlisted the services of a QC to argue that the Retirement Village application P/2008/1418 is still alive.  (See Torbay council response in Recent Developments above.)

Due to the inordinate time period that Sladnor Park has remained bereft of development, significant changes to the ecology of the site have taken place and witnessed first hand by ardent wildlife supporter Jim Campbell and many of the Sladnor Park residents.

SLADNOR PARK’S BAT POPULATION

The once tiny population of Lesser and Greater horseshoe bats has, mainly due to the peace and solitude of the park, flourished and increased dramatically.  The present numbers now place Sladnor Park as a major stronghold for the extremely rare and well-protected species.  Any major development would gravely endanger this status, whatever remedial or placatory measures could be pledged by the owners.

ROE DEER IN SLADNOR PARK

Sladnor Park is home to a small group of Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Their secretive habits are well-known to wildlife spotters.  The almost legendary great stag has been sighted on a handful of occasions.  These animals will certainly be lost should large-scale development take place at this wildlife haven.

Latest updates

• Sensitive Torbay sites could now be earmarked for new homes (Herald Express, Feb 18, 2015)
• Housing sites out of Torbay Plan (Herald Express, June 10, 2015)
• Sladnor Park ‘Shunted’ Onto Market (Maidencombe Community Group, Sep 12, 2015)

Maidencombe

Maidencombe is an area of outstanding natural beauty, lying on the outskirts of Torquay.

The Maidencombe Community Group aims to promote and protect the natural beauty of Maidencombe, work together with the various trusts and support the local community with active work and events.

If you require any further information about Sladnor Park, then please contact us at info@maidencombeunity.org

You can also connect with us on facebook at

www.facebook.com/maidencombe

 

Further images of Sladnor Park, Maidencombe