RENEWED efforts to turn a former nursing home in Bovey Tracey into holiday flats have run into further opposition.

Bovey Tracey town council is among the objectors to a planning application to turn Tracey House in Haytor Road into holiday accommodation.

Councillors agreed to object to the proposals, after a lengthy discussion, on the basis that members did not want to see the loss of key residential accommodation in the town.

Plans to add units in the grounds of Tracey House have now been removed from a previous application for the site.

Also, the application does not accord with the town’s Neighbourhood Development Plan which states the parish should be ‘a place where people of all ages who are unable to buy or rent on the open market and who have a local connection have priority access to affordable housing’.

The home closed last year after the owners, who were due to retire, were unable to sell it as a going concern.

Now their application for a change of use of the building into holiday units has sparked objections from residents.

Martin Fleet commented: ‘This town and the road where it is located does not need holiday homes , what is needed is affordable homes for local residents.’

Many objectors commented that local homes should be for local people as there is a shortage of residential and affordable homes in the area.

Edward Gibson said: ‘By turning them into holiday lets rather than residential does not help the Teignbridge plan for new homes, as there is already a shortage and where the council have quoted that holiday lets take the soul out of a town or area.

‘Holiday accommodation would not be as beneficial to the local economy as compared to six permanent homes who would live and spend in the area all year.’

And Bruce Crawford said: ‘In the current environment Bovey Tracey and surround areas need more affordable rented and owned property, and more care home provision for elderly and long term disabled people.’

In 2022, a pre-application enquiry was submitted to Teignbridge Council to ask advice from planning officers on the potential of planning permission being granted for the change of use of the site.

A statement with the application said: ‘Following detailed guidance from the planning officer and a positive site meeting, this scheme has been scaled down to a level which works with the existing building.

‘The scale of the buildings has been carefully considered to remain in proportion with surrounding buildings and landscape features.’

The home had been run by the same family for 40 years.

Jo and George Zakrzewski were at retirement age and had tried to carry on.

But problems with staff recruitment, sickness issues and the economic crisis had made it too difficult for them continue.

Despite repeated attempts, they were unable to sell Tracey House as a going concern which had been their wish.

Bovey Tracey town councillors have asked for the application to go before the planning committee for a decision if officers are recommending approval.