YMCA project at holiday accommodation rejected

Charity workers said they are disappointed that plans for a housing project to help vulnerable young people have been rejected.

Exeter YMCA had put forward proposals to Torbay Council to turn a guest house and block of holiday flats in Sands Road, Paignton, into accommodation for young homeless people and care leavers.

The council's planning committee praised the YMCA's proposal but turned down the application as it felt Torbay still needed to maintain a variety of holiday accommodation.

Gareth Sorsby, joint chief executive of Exeter YMCA, said it was a shame to see the project turned down as he felt it would "be a benefit to Torbay".

The plans had sought to turn the Seacroft Guest House into nine single bedrooms with communal facilities to be used by young people aged between 18 and 25 while they got help finding jobs, training and education with support workers.

The charity also wanted to turn the Holly-Lets Apartments temporary supported accommodation in five self-contained units with kitchens-living rooms, bathrooms and bedrooms, along with three other bedrooms using communal facilities.

Staff would be on both sites from 09:00 to 22:00 with an on-call out of hours service available, the YMCA added.

Planning officers had recommended the proposal for approval, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

But councillors decided against it as they felt tourism was Torbay's "lifeblood" and the sites were not the right place for the project.

Mr Sorsby said homelessness and the plight of young people leaving the care system with nowhere to go were pressing issues in Torbay.

"This would be the place where they learn how to be responsible individuals," Mr Sorsby said.

Councillor Anna Tolchard - Conservative, St Peters with St Marys - praised the YMCA's proposal, but said Torbay needed to maintain a variety of holiday accommodation.

Andrew Strang, Conservative member for Furzeham with Summercombe, warned that losing properties like those in Sands Road could be a "tipping point".

Adam Billings, Conservative councillor for Churston with Galmpton, added: "As a principle this is absolutely brilliant, but is this site appropriate?"

Local businessman Adam Steward said both properties still had a future in the tourist trade.

He agreed there was an "absolute need" for projects like the YMCA plan in Torbay, but the location 100 metres (328ft) from the seafront was wrong.

“I hope the YMCA comes back and puts its case for a different location,” he said.

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