As we made clear in our objection, it was clear that work on the site had already started. Trees had been removed, along with the loss of a Devon hedgerow, the repositioning of boundaries and the domestication of agricultural land, all without the required planning consent. This was therefore a retrospective application, and should have been advertised as such.

Were this application to now be approved part of the undeveloped coast would be transformed in to a domestic garden, completely at odds with policy DEV24.

In his report the case officer quoted from our objection and gave as his reason for refusal: 'The proposed loss of this agricultural land and its use as a residential garden, along with the proposed sheds and poly tunnels represent an unwelcome intrusion into an undeveloped countryside location, which would be harmful to the South Devon AONB, Undeveloped Coast and wider landscape character area'.