Beachcomber Cafe The Esplanade Woolacombe EX34 7DJ Data via plota.co.uk

81196 - Full Application Approved
Admin / procedural

Proposal

Variation of condition 2 (approved plans), condition 3 (materials), and condition 6 (hours of operation restriction) attached to planning permission (Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) attached to planning permission (redevelopment of cafe, retail, toilets, and associated facilities serving Woolacombe beach) in respect of amendments to site design to include the re-positioning of the building) to allow extended opening hours. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
17 Dec 2025
✓
Approved
3 Mar 2026

Approved on 3 Mar 2026 · Delegated · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Associated applications 3

  • Part of

    Fullcouncil archive

    Conditions variation sought for

    • Variationarchive

      Conditions variation sought for 2, 3, 6

      • VariationVariation of condition 2 (approved plans), condition 3 (materials), and condition 6 (hours…This application81196

Site constraints 10

North Devon National Landscape
Great weight to conserving the landscape; major development restricted.
Previously an area of outstanding natural beauty, which is still the designation in law. Since 2023 authorities must seek to further its purpose, not merely have regard to it.
Woolacombe conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Council document ↗
Heritage coast: North Devon
A defined stretch of undeveloped coastline.
Development inconsistent with keeping the coast undeveloped is resisted.
Public footpath about 23 m away
Matters where it crosses or adjoins the site: obstructing a path without a diversion order is an offence, and work cannot start until the order is confirmed.
Compiled from highway authority data, not the legal definitive map. A few authorities have not published, so no path shown is not proof there is none.
SSSI about 49 m away: Barricane Beach SSSI
Natural England may need consulting, depending on what is proposed.
Sites of special scientific interest are the best wildlife and geological sites in the country. Development likely to harm one is rarely permitted.
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 1
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
1 listed building within 150 m of the postcode pin
Nearest: Castle Hotel, Grade II, about 38 m from the postcode pin
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Historic England ↗
Also on the record
Radon affected area, class 4; Inside the Woolacombe built-up area; Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 4, but it predates the buildings here and the current map does not class it as farmland.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the British Geological Survey and UK Health Security Agency (radon, contains BGS materials © UKRI) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
North Devon
Application type
Full Application
Postcode
EX34 7DJ
Received
17 Dec 2025
Validated
17 Dec 2025
Ward
MORTEHOE
Parish
MORTEHOE
Case officer
Show
Decision
Approved
Decision date
3 Mar 2026
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show
Agent
Peregrine Mears RIBA

Consultation & key dates

Consultation
2 Jan 2026
Comments by
4 Feb 2026
Statutory expiry
3 Mar 2026

Historical activity at this location

25 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Approved
Cliff Cottage The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Alterations to the roof to raise ridge height, including two dormers, with internal chang…
81026
2025 Approved
Cliff Cottage The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Alterations to the roof to raise ridge height, including two dormers, with internal chang…
81026
2025 Approved
The Anchorage Rockfield Road Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DH
Part retrospective erection of privacy screen fence
80135
2025 Approved
The Anchorage Rockfield Road Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DH
Part retrospective erection of privacy screen fence
80135
2024 Approved
Ocean View The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Cutting back of rear roof gables to allow for level access to penthouse flat, installatio…
78843
2024 Approved
Ocean View The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Cutting back of rear roof gables to allow for level access to penthouse flat, installatio…
78843
2024 Approved
5 Dolphin Court Rockfield Road Woolacombe EX34 7DH
Alterations to residential flat to include removal of brickwork and the replacement of wi…
79588
2024 Approved
5 Dolphin Court Rockfield Road Woolacombe EX34 7DH
Alterations to residential flat to include removal of brickwork and the replacement of wi…
79588
2024 Approved
The Studio 14b Devon Beach Court Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DD
Conversion of garages to additional living accommodation
79395
2024 Approved
The Studio 14b Devon Beach Court Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DD
Conversion of garages to additional living accommodation
79395
2024 Approved
3 White Rose The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Creation of gated access through boundary wall & replacement of window with single door
79114
2024 Approved
3 White Rose The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Creation of gated access through boundary wall & replacement of window with single door
79114
2024 Approved
Combe Ridge The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Part demolition of existing side extension and construction of proposed enlarged side ext…
78678
2024 Approved
Combe Ridge The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Part demolition of existing side extension and construction of proposed enlarged side ext…
78678
2023 Approved
Beachcomber Cafe The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Redevelopment of cafe, retail, toilets and associated facilities serving woolacombe beach
77516
2023 Approved
Beachcomber Cafe The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Redevelopment of cafe, retail, toilets and associated facilities serving woolacombe beach
77516
2023 Approved
Little Beach The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Repair of boundary wall
76999
2023 Approved
Little Beach The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Repair of boundary wall
76999
2022 Approved
Greycliffe Rockfield Road Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DH
Demolition and rebuild the existing house adding a north elevation
76014
2022 Approved
Gonville House Hotel The Esplanade Woolacombe Devon EX34 7DJ
Change of use for 3 units of accommodation
74922
2017 Approved
THE CASTLE, THE ESPLANADE, , , WOOLACOMBE, DEVON, EX34 7DJ
RE-ROOFING OF EXISTING UTILITY & STORE
62713
2017 Approved
FLAT 8 LITTLE BEACH, THE ESPLANADE, , WOOLACOMBE, DEVON, EX34 7DJ
ENLARGEMENT OF WINDOW / DOOR AREA & INSERTION OF REPLACEMENT DOORS OPENING ONTO BALCONY
62649
2017 Approved
FLAT 8 LITTLE BEACH, THE ESPLANADE, , WOOLACOMBE, DEVON, EX34 7DJ
ENLARGEMENT OF WINDOW / DOOR AREA & INSERTION OF REPLACEMENT DOORS OPENING ONTO BALCONY
62649
2016 Approved
LUNDY SET, THE ESPLANADE, , , WOOLACOMBE, DEVON, EX34 7DJ
EXTENSION & ALTERATIONS TO DWELLING
61187
2016 Approved
7 WHITE ROSE, THE ESPLANADE, , , WOOLACOMBE, DEVON, EX34 7DJ
LOWER BEDROOM WINDOW, WIDEN PATIO DOOR & REPLACE EXISTING IRON RAILINGS TO BALCONY WITH G…
60929
North Devon
Planning Authority Score
6.1/10
Average
#99 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

North Devon ranks #140 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Householder applications are more likely to be approved here than most councils, with a 98% approval rate vs 90% nationally.

More permissive than most councils
98% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
North Devon decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
94%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #42 of 296
98%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #20 of 296
67%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #140 of 296
45%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #192 of 296
88%
Minor dwellings approved
220 decided (1-9 homes)
87%
Major dwellings approved
15 decided (10+ homes)
95%
Change of use approved
42 decided
939
Total decisions
58 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings