New plans approved for converting Fernicombe Windmill, Paignton 🌍

Back in 2015, Plans for converting the Fernicombe windmill tower were submitted and approved, for

Conversion and change of use of the Fernicombe Windmill to a single residential unit, erection of new roof structure and single storey extension.

The plans, by Devon architect Christopher Pancheri, showed a well researched and actually pleasing looking structure, with a wooden cap, appropriately shaped for the Devon region, of which there are no existing examples remaining. Millwright Martin Watts is credited as supplying survey drawings as input in to the design.

Those plans were never executed, and the developers wanted more, so switched to SPX Architects of Yorkshire, who came up with a new planning application submitted 4 years later in 2019, this time for

Conversion and change of use of the former Fernicombe Windmill to a single residential unit, construction of new roof structure, addition of a linked 2-storey extension and associated landscaping works.

Note the increase in size of the extension to 2 storeys, and the subtle change to the wording about the roof. Actually the roof design had been completely changed from the historically accurate cap to a garish and inappropriate all round glass observation room. Many objections were made to this new design, and I guess that's why this application has taken so long to progress. In particular SPAB noted:

There is sufficient information on the drawings however for us to take the view that the proposed cap is still not close enough in design form to resemble what we believe was the carefully researched and drawn design of the 2015 application. This design reflected the style of cap found on South Devon Windmills until the latter part of the 19th century, since when all local mills have been lost, fallen into ruin or been converted so that no original mill caps survive. We feel that the works to Fernicombe Windmill offer one of the few opportunities to see a cap put back that would reflect the original design and so maintain the local tradition.

In late 2024 new plans were submitted within the still open application, and these got rid of the roof structure, (which many comments had described as a lighthouse) and instead stuck with what appears from the side elevation drawings to be a flat roof on the existing tower, (though the drawing comments note "windmill cap removed, replaced with glazed lantern", so it's not a completly flat opaque roof). These new plans were approved in May 2025.