PLANS for a major multi-million pound redevelopment of a riverfront site in Teignmouth are nearing their final stages and due to be considered by planners.

The deadline for making comments on proposals for the Riverside Boatyard on the banks of the River Teign is now only two weeks away.

The application to regenerate the site to provide a mixed use of homes, industrial units, offices, beach huts and boat storage has been re-advertised by Teignbridge District Council.

The authority says it believes a number of listed properties and the Ringmore Conversation Area may be impacted and it wants to give everyone the chance to respond before the application is considered by the planning committee.

The final deadline for responses is September 2.

Submitted by Teignmouth Maritime Properties Ltd, the application aims to regenerate the area to combine housing, offices and industrial space while improving the existing boatyard storage and repair facilities.

The company sees the plans as an opportunity to ‘comprehensively redevelop’ a prominent waterside site into a ‘high quality maritime facility’.

The scheme also aims to provide additional employment opportunities.

Since the plans were first submitted in June 2020, there have been a few revisions to the original scheme.

The application has attracted a number of comments, positive and negative.

Some responses have been in favour of upgrading and improving a ‘neglected’ site which had become an eyesore.

There was also support for providing further employment in the area.

However, concerns were expressed at the scale of the proposed development and the lack of smaller and affordable housing.

Concerns were also highlighted about access to the site which is via a bridge over the railway line.

Comments in support of the project say it will be an improvement to what is an ‘eyesore’ site in disrepair while adding to employment chances in the area.

Objectors say the proposals would create congestion and access difficulties as well as arguing the size of the development is too large.

The Shellfish Association of Great Britain has objected to the plans as it claims there would be a ‘significant’ impact on the shellfishery in the River Teign.

It has concerns over the shellfish beds, particularly the River Teign mussels and oyster beds.

In its response to the plans, the association said: ‘In summary, we are exceedingly concerned that this development will have a seriously negative impact to River Teign Shellfish Ltd, their efforts to re-establish a native oyster bed and to the viability of the River Teign, as whole, to have a successful shell fishery.’

The developers say the scheme would provide living and working accommodation while hoping to attract greater numbers of new boat and water-based leisure users to the area, generating economic benefits for the town.

The main plans include nine residential units in three blocks of up to five bedroom town houses, workshops and office space and a proposed two-storey parking structure.

Bishopsteignton Parish Council has objected to the proposals on a number of grounds including over development of the site, increasing the footprint and the ‘potentially huge increase in traffic along an already busy road’, with especially congested junctions at the entrance to Morrisons and Shaldon Bridge.

The council says there is ‘inadequate access to the site via the narrow bridge over the railway and inadequate provision of parking on the site, particularly for visitors.

It also believes the proposal will be ‘visually detrimental to the area, particularly from the estuary and beyond’.

Teignmouth Town Council has recommended the plans go to the planning committee for a decision and has asked for a detailed review of the road junction.

Plans are available for comment on Teignbridge Council’s website until September 2.