Homes to be built at former paint factory site

A former paint factory is set to be demolished and turned into a five-storey block of flats.

Torbay Council's planning committee has given the site at New Road in Brixham, Devon, the green light.

McCarthy Contracting had been issued permission to build 17 flats at the site, which was at one time a Jewson outlet. Some committee members at that time said they were all in favour of the scheme and thought it could have gone even higher than the four storeys initially agreed to.

In a new new application, McCarthy said it now planned to deliver 23 new two-bedroom homes "transforming a previously neglected site and providing much-needed" housing. The committee voted unanimously to give the go-ahead.

The new building will be similar in design to the Mercure and Ibis Styles hotels on Paignton seafront, which were also constructed by McCarthy's.

Jo Sampson, who said she was representing members of the community in New Road, said a "significant proportion" of local residents objected, particularly over the planned height of the new building, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"We are happy about the building that was proposed last year, but not about the extra storey," she said.

"Neighbouring homes will have a constant sense of being overlooked."

Committee members said there were not enough parking spaces in the new proposal, and said they were concerned at the absence of affordable housing in the plan.

But they also said there were no planning grounds on which they could refuse it.

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