Brixham Breakwater Beach hotel developer: 'We want to build something to last 100 years'

People in Brixham have turned out in force to find out more about ambitious plans to transform Breakwater Beach.
Hundreds queued across the waterfront car park for a chance to get inside the Breakwater Bistro to see the plans for themselves after owner Jack Turton unveiled a £30 million scheme for a luxury hotel on the Torbay Council-owned site.
Mr Turton, who bought the lease on the popular bistro earlier this year for around £2 million, says the Blue Flag beach and its facilities are in safe hands, and the development will bring new jobs and more tourists to Brixham.
But some locals fear for the character of their ‘precious’ beach.
Brixham born-and-bred Paul Ward said: “I have just one word for these plans – vile.”
Mr Turton, who was involved in the development of the Eden Project in Cornwall and the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, said the aim is to build something that would last a hundred years.
“At the minute the building has lots of problems,” he said. “Its underground pinning is completely shot. In the next five years we will have to do something radical.
“But we’re not here to just build. We’re trying to do something that suits Brixham.
“And Breakwater beach will not change. The only thing we will do is to keep the Blue Flag by keeping the beach clean and tidy.”
Mr Turton’s development company Brixham Mortar says the new 44-bedroom hotel would be built to four or five-star standards and would have a restaurant, roof bar, gym, spa, and new beach-side bistro.
There would also be self-catering apartments on stilts, free changing rooms for beach-users and free public toilets.
Robin Hooker, whose ‘Save Our Beach’ stall was gathering local opinions, said the majority of people he had spoken to were against the plans.
“It is going to take some of our precious beach away,” he said. “It’s a small beach, a family beach, a Brixham beach. Any square inch taken away will be really important to us.”
Brixham Mortar says it will maintain the beach’s coveted Blue Flag status and keep it accessible to all, with improved disabled access. It also intends to go on giving nearby Shoalstone Pool financial help as well as increasing the capacity of the marina car park.
Planning consultant Charles Uzzell said: “It will be larger than what is here now, but it is designed to reflect the character of the buildings around Brixham Harbour. It will bring a considerable number of jobs, and all the facilities will be open to the public.
“Unfortunately some incorrect information was put out on social media to begin with, and that has created a lot of concern. We’re putting the correct information out there and letting people form their own view.
“This part of Brixham is fantastic, and this is about looking after what makes it special and putting something in that is going to help the economy and create jobs.”