Residents of historic Devon seaside village brace for surge in giant ultra-modern homes after one dubbed an 'alien box' is given green light - but do they have a point?

Residents in a historic seaside village say they are bracing for a surge in giant ultra-modern homes after one dubbed the 'alien box' was given unanimous approval.

Villagers in Maidencombe, Devon, which has homes dating back to the 13th Century and is referenced in the Doomsday Book, are up in arms at the decision by local council planners this week.

The village which has approximately 70 homes - mostly traditional whitewashed stone cottages and bungalows - is nestled among red sandstone cliffs close to Torquay and enjoys its own beach and a pub voted the best in Devon in 2022.

But a decision last week to allow a homeowner to demolish a chalet bungalow and replace it with a flat roofed 'shipping container' four times the size has sent shockwaves through the village.

Locals say the village enjoys special protection through a neighbourhood plan agreed with Torbay Council in 2019, which means any development must respect local character and heritage.

However, the approval of the controversial 'alien box' home sets a precedent for others to follow suit.

The approved plans for the tiny bungalow, called the Mouse Cottage, include its demolition and construction of an ultra-modern home

The architect's drawing of the new home which was included in the planning application. Credit: Storm Architects 

Nigel Goodman, 72, a retired chartered civil engineer, said: 'A lot of people are very angry at the decision' 

An aerial view of Mouse Cottage and the surrounding properties on Brim Hill

Dr Rodney Horder, secretary of the Maidencombe Residents Association, said: 'If you look around we're a small hamlet, this is a very rural community and a heavily glazed box is out of place here.

'There is no doubt they have won. Our concern now is very much that this sets a precedent for other sites.'

Mr Horder stressed this was not about preventing any new development or so-called nimbyism and residents had supported the majority of planning applications in recent years

He added: 'We have no objection to replacing the cottage with a building that doesn't completely fill the footprint and has a similar overall design with a pitched roof.

'It could be a bit bigger and a little higher, that wouldn't be a problem but not four times the size.'

Nigel Goodman, 72, a retired chartered civil engineer, said: 'A lot of people are very angry at the decision but others will think this is an opportunity to change their house.

'That box is just alien to what is meant to be the character of the village.

'We spent hundreds of hours on the neighbourhood plan and what hurts now is that it is in the bin. I suspect there will be new applications because a precedent has been set.

'Some people will say it's good to modernise the village but not in place of heritage protections, once you open the door that protection is gone.'

The house to be demolished - Mouse Cottage - is in open countryside alongside a nature reserve, while it isn't in a conservation area it sits directly adjacent to one. Planning documents show the new flat-roofed, four-bedroom house will have large areas of glazing and a swimming pool.

In April last year an application for a larger building in a similar style was turned down, and an appeal by the developer was later dismissed.

The planning permission notice for a new house in a tiny village on the outskirts of Torquay

Maidencombe has homes dating back to the 13th Century and is referenced in the Doomsday Book

Villagers are concerned the approval of the plans at Mouse Cottage (pictured) will spark a surge in ultra-modern applications

Carl Taylor who has lived in the village for 37 years described the approval as a 'clear affront to Torbay Council's own policies'

He said: 'From my home up the hill if you look across Maidencombe little has changed since 1935. It's unique in the sense that development has been contained over the years.

'Had this application been assessed properly it would have been refused.'

In April last year an application for a larger building was turned down, and an appeal by the developer was later dismissed. The latest application takes on board the reasons why the previous one was rejected.

At a Torbay Council planning meeting last week, James Wells, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said the new home would replace a 'tired and quite poorly functioning property,' and would sit comfortably in its setting.

Mr Wells has been contacted for comment.