A PUBLIC inquiry into a controversial development in Bude saw passionate residents come out in force this week to fight the application
On March 25, a public inquiry was held to determine the fate of the An Mor hotel in Bude. More than 100 residents, representatives and council officials met at the Falcon Hotel to present their case to the planning inspectorate.
In 2024, plans were submitted by Churchill Retirement Living to demolish the iconic An Mor Hotel to replace it with 39 retirement apartments.
Since plans were announced, there has been widespread concern from those living in and around the town.
After initially being refused by Cornwall Council, the council’s planning department later altered its stance following a change in regulation,
Unhappy with the decision, a passionate Bude collective came together to object to the plans.
Opening the inquiry, a spokesperson for the appellant addressed the change in house building framework. They said: “We exist in a world where one takes into account government policy, and we say that this is a proposal which is overwhelmingly in accordance with the up to date government policy as published in December 2024 in the national planning policy framework.
The appellant argued that this development would help the county address this requirement.
Following a statement from Cornwall Council, members of the public expressed their concerns to the inspectorate.
Dr Pauline Anthony, a GP at Neetside Surgery was one of many residents who took a stand to address the inspectorate.
In her statement on behalf of the surgery she said: “As people who live in this area will already know, the NHS in this area is under great strain. That is not unusual, it is under strain in other parts of the country, but Bude is unusual in that we are over an hour and a half from the local hospitals that serve us.
“This creates a particular problem for Bude, as although it is a reasonably well resourced town, it is a long way from secondary and emergency care centres.
“Our concern as a practice and as part of the primary care network and NHS […] is that the type of people who would choose to move into a retirement flat that is not a nursing home tend to be people who just starting to become a bit frail.
“People might move in from out of the area, without local families to support them, and those people tend to be high users of NHS services. GP appointments will be effected, nurse appointments will be effected, healthcare assistant work will be effected […] and we are already stretched.”
Following the inquiry Jonathon Parsons, an inspector appointed by the secretary of state, has been tasked with making a decision on the development, which is expected in the coming weeks.