Residents of a historic seaside town say they are bracing for a surge in giant, ultra-modern homes after one dubbed the “alien box” won unanimous approval.
Villagers in Maidencombe, Devon, which has houses dating back to the 13th century and referred to in the Doomsday Book, are up in arms over the decision by local council planners this week.
The village, which has approximately 70 houses (mostly traditional whitewashed stone cottages and bungalows), is nestled between red sandstone cliffs near Torquay and enjoys its own beach and a pub voted best in Devon in 2022.
But last week’s decision to allow a homeowner to demolish a bungalow chalet and replace it with a flat-roofed “shipping container” four times its size has sent shockwaves through the town.
Locals say the village enjoys special protection through a neighborhood plan agreed with Torbay Council in 2019, meaning any development must respect local character and heritage.
However, the approval of the controversial ‘alien box’ house sets a precedent for others to follow suit.
The approved plans for the small bungalow, called Mouse Cottage, include its demolition and construction of an ultra-modern house.
Architect’s drawing of the new house which was included in the planning application. Credit: Storm Architects
Nigel Goodman, 72, a retired chartered civil engineer, said: “A lot of people are very angry about the decision.”
An aerial view of Mouse Cottage and surrounding properties on Brim Hill
Dr Rodney Horder, secretary of Maidencombe Residents’ Association, said: “If you look around, we are a small village, this is a very rural community and a heavily glazed box is out of place here.
“There’s no doubt they’ve won. Our concern now is that this sets a precedent for other sites.”
Horder stressed that there was no question of preventing any new development or so-called nimbyism and that residents had supported the majority of planning applications in recent years.
He added: “We have no objection to replacing the cabin with a building that does not completely fill the space and has a similar overall design with a sloping roof.”
“It could be a little bigger and a little taller, that wouldn’t be a problem, but not four times bigger.”
Nigel Goodman, 72, a retired chartered civil engineer, said: “Many people are very angry about the decision, but others will think it is an opportunity to move house.”
‘That box is simply foreign to what the character of the town is supposed to be.
‘We dedicated hundreds of hours to the neighborhood plan and what hurts now is that it is in the trash. I suspect there will be new requests because a precedent has been set.
“Some people will say that it is good to modernize the town, but instead of protecting the heritage, once the door is opened that protection disappears.”
The house to be demolished, Mouse Cottage, is located in open countryside next to a nature reserve, although it is not in a conservation area, it is directly adjacent to one. Planning documents show the new four-bedroom, flat-roofed house will have large glass areas and a swimming pool.
An application for a larger building in a similar style was rejected in April last year and an appeal by the developer was subsequently dismissed.
Planning permission notice for a new house in a small village on the outskirts of Torquay
Maidencombe has houses dating back to the 13th century and are referenced in the Doomsday Book.
Villagers are concerned that the approval of plans at Mouse Cottage (pictured) will lead to a rise in ultra-modern applications.
Carl Taylor, who has lived in the town for 37 years, described the approval as a “clear affront to Torbay Council’s own policies”.
He said: ‘From my house, up the hill, if you look towards Maidencombe, little has changed since 1935. It is unique in that development has been contained over the years.
“If this application had been properly evaluated, it would have been rejected.”
An application for a larger building was rejected in April last year and an appeal by the developer was subsequently dismissed. The last request includes the reasons why the previous one was rejected.
At a Torbay Council planning meeting last week, James Wells, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said the new house would replace a “worn and rather poorly functioning property” and sit comfortably in its surroundings.
Mr. Wells has been contacted for comment.