TOWN councillors in Bovey Tracey have offered no objections to a former hotel being converted for residential use.

The Edgemoor Hotel in Lowerdown, now known as Edgemoor Manor, had been operated by owner Simon Crow and his wife since 2008.

But business suffered during the Covid pandemic and subsequent attempts to market the property as a going concern proved fruitless.

Mr Crow has since created nine en-suite letting rooms, most now occupied, with residents given the use of a large shared kitchen.

Teignbridge District Council (TDC) granted the relevant HMO Licence (House of Multiple Occupation) in January 2025 but then in July informed Mr Crow that he should also obtain planning permission for a Change of Use.

Addressing a meeting of Bovey Tracey Town Council’s Planning and Environment Committee, he recalled the time when the impact of the pandemic became fully apparent.

Speaking about the prospect of having to rebuild the business, he said: ‘We couldn’t do it again, we were exhausted.’

Mr Crow said staffing costs of £300,000 per year weren’t sustainable and that the new HMO arrangement had created homes with ‘an amazing community spirit going on’.

He added that he and his wife still lived in the building and that they wanted to be ‘totally compliant’ with the rules and ‘responsible HMO landlords’.

Mr Crow cited less traffic under the new arrangement and said his neighbours were fully aware of the changes and none had objected.

The meeting was told that the Jeremy Leach pottery studio in the grounds was unaffected by the new arrangements.

Cllr Martyn Evans said Mr Crow had been ‘let down’ by TDC as its officers had failed to inform him of the need for a CoU when the HMO had been issued.

Supporting the application he said: ‘I have no reservations at all.’

One of its residents told the meeting: ‘It’s just a great place to be. Simon’s a great landlord. It’s called home, really.’

Members voted four in favour with no objections and one abstention.

The application will now be considered by TDC.