Late last summer, plans were submitted to turn the Drill Hall into a restaurant:
Full plans submitted for Drill Hall
Drill Hall plans: shades of grey
Drill Hall plans endorsed – with recommendations
Drill Hall plans: “creating the very best look”
Drill Hall plans: comments by 15th September
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These have now all come together and the have been recommended for approval by planning officers, as reported in the Sidmouth Nub News:
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Sidmouth Rockfish set for go-ahead as plans recommended for approval
The design for the restaurant at Sidmouth’s converted Drill Hall. Picture: Grainge Architects
East Devon District Council’s cabinet last year unanimously decided to select Rockfish’s bid as their preferred bid for the redevelopment and renewal of Drill Hall.
And council planners, when they meet on Tuesday, February 4, are recommended to grant planning permission to convert the building into a restaurant.
Recommending approval, the report says: “The Drill Hall is a historic building on Sidmouth Seafront which has been vacant for a number of years. The proposal seeks to convert the building to a restaurant and introduce a balcony, an outside seating area to the side, a new extension to the rear.
“Following a period of marketing for the building, for which there was no interest in its existing use, a commercial proposal for a fish restaurant is considered to be acceptable on the seafront as it will retain the most important features of the building whilst retaining public access and increasing activity around a water related enterprise.
“The proposal is considered to reflect policies within the Neighbourhood Plan that support commercial properties in this location that reflect the fishing and coastal history and with retained linkages to the town centre. The use would be sympathetic to neighbouring uses and would retain the historic value of the building and bringing the building back into use is a positive for the area and local economy.”
Sidmouth Rockfish set for go-ahead as plans recommended for approval
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With further reports from the local media:
Sidmouth Rockfish plans set for go-ahead | Devon Live
Sidmouth Rockfish restaurant on course for planning approval | Sidmouth Herald
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Here’s the agenda for the planning meeting on 4th February:
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There’s a lot of history and heritage in the original building:
See: