A GROUP of parish councillors have quit following the approval of a controversial planning application for the redevelopment of a hotel.

Four members of the seven-strong South Huish Parish Council, which opposed the application by the Sun Bay Hotel in Hope Cove, resigned claiming their voices were not being heard by South Hams Council.

Ann Pedrick, Susan Illingworth, John Brocklebank and Sheila Jarvis decided to leave the parish council after they found out the application had been approved.

Ann Pedrick said: 'We're absolutely appalled by the decision.'

She said that it is not the first time South Hams Council had done the opposite of what the parish council had suggested.

She aded said: 'You are voted on to work for parishioners and this is what happens.

'I feel like it's an absolute waste of time, you feel like your knocking your head against a brick wall. It shows local opinion is overlooked.'

A South Hams Council spokesman said: 'This was a very contentious proposal, which attracted a great deal of local opposition. Naturally, officers have carefully considered all the issues raised and the officer recommendation of conditional approval was clearly going to be very unpopular.

'It is clearly very regrettable that some parish councillors have decided to resign but the fact that local opinions were not listened to could not be further from fact. All views were very carefully considered before a decision was made and were the subject of detailed debate by members.'

He added: 'The officer recommendation to the previous committee was for a full committee site inspection to be made before a decision was reached. This was an unusual recommendation, which members agreed to follow. This enabled members to gain a full and proper understanding of the site, its setting and relationship with adjoining properties, given the site complexity, sensitivity and issues raised.'

Cllr John Carter, chairman of South Huish Parish Council, said: 'I'm extremely disappointed by the planning decision, particularly in view of the number of letters of objections from my parishioners.

'I feel it's not my place to give a view on how I feel about the councillors resigning over this issue. That is a decision that they have made and I respect them for that.

'However, we now must move forward and as chairman of the parish council, it's now my chief concern to bring the council up to its full complement.'

The Sun Bay Hotel is run by Paul Brown, his partner Michelle Coleman and her parents Simon and Corinne Coleman, who have lived in Hope Cove for 10 years. They said: 'We are absolutely delighted to have received planning permission after two long years of effort and expense.

'We would like to sincerely thank all those who supported us throughout the process.'