Surfers lose the view as fence erected on site

A DEVELOPER has blocked off an area in Croyde where people look at the surfing conditions, after failing to get planning permission for a holiday home on the land.

Malcolm Bremner has put a fence on the site in Moor Lane next to Baggy Point Car Park stopping people standing there to view the reef and enjoy the scenery.

The move comes after North Devon Council turned down an application by Mr Bremner for holiday accommodation.

There had been a wave of protest from surfers, including through a Facebook group, when news of the application emerged.

Mr Bremner, who has launched an appeal against the planning decision, said he had been frustrated by comments on the social networking site.

He said: "This is private land and it has now been privatised."

The retired antiques dealer from Barnstaple has owned the site for 40 years, and said the property would have been for his family to use.

He claimed to have been forced into the move because of two re-developments either side — the hotel Out of Blue and private property Middlesbrough House — which he said reduced the size of a green open space.

Mr Bremner said: "The council should not have allowed these developments to happen. They have changed the face of Croyde Bay."

Alan Barnett, the development control manager at North Devon Council, said: "The land lies outside the development boundary of Croyde and is within a protected area.

"Therefore, there has to be a special reason for planning permission to be granted.

"Two nearby re-developments were given permission because there were existing properties already on the sites. However, as the land in question doesn't have a property on it, the same argument cannot be used.

"We are aware that a fence has recently been put up on the site, which we are looking into."

North Devon Council pointed to the risk of flooding, the poor access and the lack of room for cars to manoeuvre, when turning down the application from Mr Bremner.

The council said it would be overdeveloping a small area in the countryside with no benefit to the local community.

Cllr John Symmonds, Georgeham Parish Council chairman, said: "The view from Moor Lane was pretty much gone anyway when the wall was built around Middlesbrough House.

"That's when, in my opinion, the mistakes were made. I don't buy into the argument that he's been forced into the move. He's just trying to maximise the area."