PLANS to transform a long-derelict Dawlish Warren pub into a new aparthotel have been approved by Teignbridge Council.

The Welcome Inn, which has stood empty since closing in October 2020, will be demolished to make way for the new development after the authority granted planning permission for the scheme, subject to a number of conditions.

The application, reference 25/01013/MAJ, proposed demolishing the existing building and replacing it with an aparthotel offering visitor accommodation, a coffee house and associated facilities.

Planning approval is conditional on the submission of further documents, including a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan and a Construction Environmental Management Plan, before work can begin.

According to planning documents, the development is intended to breathe new life into a prominent site in the heart of Dawlish Warren, while strengthening the area's tourism offer.

An aparthotel - or apartment hotel - is a serviced accommodation that blends the independence of a private apartment with the conveniences of a traditional hotel.

Guests will have access to a reception and concierge service, housekeeping, laundry and changeover services, as well as breakfast served in an on-site coffee house.

The proposed layout includes a reception area, office space and operational facilities.

A coffee house with an outdoor terrace will occupy part of the ground floor, with pedestrian access from Mount Pleasant Road.

The remainder of the ground floor will include accessible rooms for disabled guests alongside dog-friendly accommodation.

The first and second floors will provide a mix of guest rooms, while the third floor will contain a smaller number of accommodation units.

Outside, the development will include 29 car parking spaces, storage for 30 bicycles and an electric vehicle charging point.

The scheme also places an emphasis on sustainability.

Around 140 solar panels are planned for the building's flat roof, generating an estimated 49kWp of electricity, with additional roof space available for further solar installations if needed.

In the planning statement submitted with the application, developers said the project would ‘positively transform this space by delivering a high quality project that enhances key public vistas and revitalises the heart of the area.’.

The statement added that redeveloping the Welcome Inn would deliver ‘substantial enhancements to the overall tourism offering in Dawlish Warren’, creating modern visitor accommodation while bringing a long-vacant site back into active use.