A closed Italian restaurant in Newton Poppleford has been put up for sale – little more than one month after plans to develop the building into homes were refused.
The 75-seater eatery, which closed in April 2018, has been lying redundant ever since.
An effort to redevelop the site, and two flats above it, into three terraced properties was rejected by planners at East Devon District Council (EDDC) at the start of January this year.
Now, the premises has been put on the market for a freehold price of £225,000.
Stonesmith, which is marketing the sale of La Rosetta, said the sale offers a 'unique opportunity' for incoming operators, which will be able to develop their 'own style of trade'.
A spokesman said: "There are also opportunities for alternative uses, subject to the necessary consents.
"The premises briefly comprises a main restaurant in two areas, a commercial catering kitchen with ancillary and welfare facilities and off-road parking for staff to the rear."
Before it closed, La Rosetta was licensed as an Italian restaurant for around 40 years.
The establishment closed due to 'unforeseen circumstances' in April 2018.
The freehold comprises the ground floor restaurant premises and a first floor two-bedroom flat. The property is therefore of interest to investors or owner occupiers. Planners at the district council refused redevelopment plans last month, citing a loss of commercial space and lack of adequate marketing.
A refusal notice published by EDDC said: "In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, insufficient evidence has been provided to satisfactorily demonstrate that the premises have been adequately marketed or that all options for their retention for their previous or similar employment uses have been fully explored. In addition, it has not been adequately demonstrated that there is a surplus supply of employment land or provision in the locality."
The officers said the proposed development would result in the loss of an employment site, which would 'harm employment opportunities' in the area to the 'detriment of the vibrancy and viability of the local community'.
The applicant said the business had been on a downturn since August 2016 due to a combination of the restaurant's location within an 'isolated village' and competition in Sidmouth.
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