The North Devon Council's Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, at the Barnstaple Rugby Club. The agenda includes a number of planning applications, including a proposal for a care home, and a retrospective application for a timber framed shelter. The committee will also be considering an appeal report.

Here are some of the topics that the Planning Committee is expected to discuss:

Land off Tinever Road, Chivenor

The committee will be considering planning application 79684 for the erection of a 66-bedroom care home for the elderly on land off Tinever Road in Chivenor. The application is for a full application for a C2 Use Class¹ building, with associated access, car parking, landscaping and ancillary buildings. The planning officer's report notes that the site is within the adopted development boundary for Wrafton, and is allocated for mixed-use development including economic development and approximately 150 dwellings. The site is covered by an outline permission for employment/mixed-use development, though the planning officer notes that the current application to develop a residential use would conflict with condition 7 of the outline permission, which states that the application site should be used for B1 employment use. The Planning Officer's report notes that the Council's Economic Development Team has commented that the provision of a residential care home does have an economic and employment provision, and that they broadly support the proposal. The Planning Officer's report also notes that the most relevant policy for specialist housing accommodation is ST17(2) relating to Specialist Housing Accommodation which supports schemes subject to compliance with the criteria below. The Planning Officer's report notes that the Housing and Economic Needs Assessment (HEDNA) projects a need for more than 500 additional residential care bed spaces in North Devon by 2031. The Planning Officer's report recommends that the application is approved, subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement².

Land West of Bowhay Lane, Combe Martin

The committee will be considering planning application 80168 for retrospective planning permission for the erection of a timber framed shelter to create three undercover storage bays, attached to existing sheds on land west of Bowhay Lane in Combe Martin. The applicant is Councillor Brian Lethaby. The planning officer's report notes that the site is located outside of the development boundary for Combe Martin, and is within the North Devon Coast National Landscape. The Planning Officer's report notes that the applicant has stated that the covered bays are not for use as part of a commercial business, but will be used for the storage of timber for personal use and for machinery and hay to assist in looking after the 2 acres of field onsite that require maintaining for use of their family horse. The Planning Officer's report recommends that the application is approved, subject to conditions.

Temporary Hoarding, Land Adj 1 Bridge Chambers, The Strand, Barnstaple

The committee will be considering planning application 80748 for the siting of non-illuminated Foamex boards for the advertisement of the Bridge Chambers development. The application relates to land adjacent to 1 Bridge Chambers, The Strand, Barnstaple. The applicant is North Devon Council. The planning officer's report notes that the site is located within the Barnstaple Town Centre Conservation Area. The Planning Officer's report recommends that the application is approved, subject to conditions.

The Watering Hole, 14 Castle Street, Barnstaple

The committee will be considering planning application 80703 for the variation of condition 9 (opening hours) attached to planning permission 79953 (change of use of former public house to woman's centre/ community hub with associated works) to allow longer opening hours at The Watering Hole, 14 Castle Street in Barnstaple. The applicant is Encompass Southwest. The planning officer's report notes that the site is located within the Barnstaple Town Centre Conservation Area. The planning officer's report notes that a noise management plan has been submitted with the application. The Planning Officer's report recommends that the application is approved, subject to conditions.

Museum Of Barnstaple And North Devon, The Square, Barnstaple

The committee will be considering planning application 80349 for listed building consent for alteration of existing store room, block up existing door and form new door to main staircase, and associated works at the Museum Of Barnstaple And North Devon in Barnstaple. The applicant is North Devon District Council. The planning officer's report notes that the Museum is located at the north east end of the Grade I listed Barnstaple Long Bridge, on the edge of the commercial core of Barnstaple and within the Conservation Area of Barnstaple. The Planning Officer's report recommends that the application is approved, subject to conditions.

Appeal Report

The committee will be considering a report by the Planning Support Officer regarding planning and enforcement appeal decisions received since the last report to the planning committee held on 3 September 2025. The report includes details of a planning appeal regarding the conversion of redundant garages to a dwelling to include erection of a new second storey at Garages, East Street, Braunton, Devon, EX33 2EA. The appeal was dismissed on 15 January 2024, and the appellant's application for appeal costs was dismissed on 3 September 2025. The Planning Support Officer's report recommends that members and other interested parties note the appeal decisions reported.