A soon-to-be shuttered Exmouth toilet block is to be turned into a mural-clad hot food takeaway.
The block on Queen’s Drive is set to close in the coming weeks and East Devon District Council has been seeking an occupant for the building.
The proposal, given the go-ahead by the council’s planning committee this week, had been submitted by a firm called Tompot Blenny, whose two directors, according to Companies House, are Tobias and Debra Quine, who run the town’s Bumble and Bee cafe.
The pair, whose plans include arty, aquatic-inspired murals on the front of the building, have included proposals for a public disabled toilet at the site.
Some objectors had raised fears about the loss of the lavatories, but planners were told that the decision to close the block had been made in 2021, and it would be shut regardless of whether this scheme went ahead or not.
The council stated the lease would include the “requirement for the provision of a public access toilet at the site”.
The council, which owns the block, said it believed the change of use was “acceptable”, even though it is in a flood zone and a National Landscape, the new name for an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Objectors also raised concerns about an increase in litter, the possibility of increased traffic because of the takeaway, and what some view as unnecessary competition for the town’s existing eateries.
Several Exmouth councillors backed the scheme, including Nick Hookway (Liberal Democrats, Exmouth Littleham) and Brian Bailey (Conservative, Exmouth Littleham).
Cllr Mike Howe (Independent, Clyst Valley) supported the scheme but requested a condition to ensure any ventilation system from the takeaway kitchen was not visible.
“We made that mistake in terms of ventilation with the Octagon,” he said.
“We had a condition about it but with no regard to visibility or external design and so we essentially granted permission for the monstrosity on top of that building which should never have been allowed.”
And Cllr Matt Hall (Liberal Democrats, Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh) requested that a construction management plan be put in place, because the takeaway involves partly demolishing the existing building and rebuilding it to create a store room and disabled toilet.
Mr and Mrs Quine were contacted for comment but did not respond.
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