A PHARMACY and three new flats has taken the next step to becoming a reality as an application to convert a building in Teignmouth’s Triangle is approved by planners.

Submitted by Wellbeing(UK) ltd, 25/00848/FUL sought permission to change the use of 5 The Triangle from a restaurant to a pharmacy.

The space was once the home of The Lemon Tree café, and the PickWick restaurant before that.

And Teignbridge District Council (TDC) has granted planning permission.

‘The development hereby permitted shall begin before the expiry of three years from the date of this permission’, the council said in its decision notice, which was published on October 14.

According to the design and access statement for 25/00848/FUL, the development will offer ‘a balanced and well-considered solution that delivers economic, social, and environmental benefits.

‘It reflects a sustainable, viable, and contextually appropriate use of a centrally located heritage building and should therefore be supported and approved without delay’, the statement adds.

Teignmouth Town Council raised no objections to the application however, it did express concerns about proposed bike racks, noting they may obstruct the right of way and fire exits.

In addition to the change-of-use of the ground floor, 25/00848/FUL is also seeking to convert the first, second, and third floors into three self-contained, one-bedroom flats, creating a ‘sensitive adaptation that preserves the building’s historical and architectural significance’, the heritage statement for 25/00848/FUL says.

‘The new flats will be high quality and offer attractive views, making this change of use both beneficial for housing and essential for maintaining the building’s long-term value’, the statement adds.