Plans to develop Exmouth's former Rolle College campus into 39 new homes have been submitted to planners in East Devon.

The 39 new homes would comprise of 10 houses and 29 apartments, with Grade II Listed Eldin House being converted and refurbished into apartments.

If the plans are successful a number of buildings on the site would need to be demolished.

The planning application was submitted on Friday, September 11, by LRM Planning Ltd on behalf of developer Acorn Property Group.

The site measures 0.78ha in area and is roughly rectangular in shape, and slopes downwards from the north/northwest to the south east. The site forms part of a wider campus directly adjacent to the west, which is now being developed by the Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education.

The planning application's Design and Access Statement states: "The site was formerly used as an educational campus.

"Since the campus closure, the brownfield site has fallen into disrepair and suffered from antisocial behaviour, vandalism and unmanaged vegetation growth.

"The site contains a number of buildings on the former campus site. The buildings represent a range of different building styles, ages, scales and materials.

"These buildings range from 19th century villas to post war education buildings. With the exception

of Eldin House, the majority of buildings on site are low quality post-war education buildings which are in a state of disrepair and no longer fit for purpose.

"It is proposed that these are demolished to allow for more appropriate building in keeping with the

surrounding character."

An apartment building would be located in the south western part of the site: "The apartment building has been designed to provide a range of different apartment sizes from two to three bed dwellings, all of which have been designed internally to facilitate a range of homeowner needs, including spacious and open living spaces and appropriate levels of storage.

"Each apartment has been designed to benefit from either south facing views, or views out towards Eldin House and the landscaped courtyard space to the north. At ground level,undercroft (at grade parking) is provided with bin and cycle stores.

"Generous floor to ceilings and appropriately placed windows, will create light and airy places to live. Each dwelling will have amenity space in the form of a balcony or terrace. The top floor is recessed to allow for generous outside terraces."

The developer is conscious of the impact building work could have on the neighbouring Deaf Academy, ' it is of the utmost importance to ensure that the needs, comfort and safety of the Academy and young students are considered and respected'.

Currently the main entrance to the site is to the south west of Douglas Avenue. If this application is granted the gate pier and entrance wall would need to be widened to accomodate residents' vehicles.

No date has yet been set for the plans to be discussed by East Devon District Council's strategic planning committee.

So far there have been no comments from local residents on the planning application, if you feel strongly about the above application feel free to get in touch with Exmouth Nub News editor Joe Bulmer, [email protected].

If you would like to view the application for yourself, click here and use the following planning number to search for the application: 20/1838/MFUL.