The appeal by the Bantham Estate against the refusal of their planning application for a replacement beach shower/toilet block, replacement village sewage treatment plant, new residents/mooring holders car park, new parking, and ANPR system on the Bantham Beach road has been dismissed.

156 people had objected to the plans.

The application went before the Development Management Committee at the request of the Head of Development Management: 'due to the level of public interest'.

Amongst the objectors were the Parish Council, who believed 'the impact of each element on the AONB means this application should be four separate applications'.

A South Hams Society representative said: “Our objection echoed many of those points.

“The car park extension area had been a construction pound since 2018 and was controlled by planning conditions requiring the compound to be removed once construction concluded and to then provide biodiversity gain.

“We saw no justification for the installation of paystations and associated signage into the open parking site area, considering the increase in payment facilities to be linked to a permanent car park expansion across the Scheduled Monument site.

“We also thought an increase of 60 per cent in the footprint of the toilet block excessive.

“And we were of the view that it should be possible to restrict the access road to the sewage plant to its current location once the existing sewage infrastructure was removed.”

The case officer concluded her report: “The principle of the proposal is considered to be acceptable, with the development responding to a proven need which requires a countryside location within the Undeveloped and Heritage Coast. Subject to conditions, it is considered that the impacts on landscape (including the AONB, Heritage and Undeveloped Coast), ecology, trees, drainage, neighbour amenity and highways are acceptable.'

She recommended approval but in September last year the Development Management Committee by five votes to two, chose to refuse the application.

Six months later, an appeal was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

That appeal has now been dismissed, the Planning Inspector concluding the proposal would harm the character and appearance of the area and there are no exceptional circumstances to permit the development.