MARINA residents fearing that the new Spinnaker Court development would destroy the Exe Estuary have spent �5,000 on hard-hitting conceptual photos - just to make their point.

MARINA residents fearing that the new Spinnaker Court development would 'destroy' the Exe Estuary have spent �5,000 on hard-hitting conceptual photos - just to make their point.

Developers Eagle One plan to build a 14-flat development on land adjacent Windward Court, Shelly Road.

But the plans have already provoked 100 letters of objection and town planners have recommended the plans be refused.

Now, in an effort to convince district council planners to force developers into a rethink, Exmouth Quay Residents' Association (EQRA) has released what they say the development will look like from the Exe Estuary.

The EQRA paid �5,000 to architects, The Nash Partnership, to design the photos based on measurements and plans submitted to East Devon planners.

Although the EQRA admit the images, because of cost, do not include the planned stone and wood rendering, they say it gives an accurate impression of the size and how the new skyline would look from the Exe.

Dave Apperley, Chairman, EQRA said: "The proposed building would create a monolithic structure of limited character which would serve only as a legacy to developer greed, poor design and inadequate planning.

"It ignores all the basic principles of design and would lead to a structure of such mass and scale that the integrity of its surroundings would be destroyed.

"The Estuary is Exmouth's greatest asset and part of the town's heritage; it demands to be developed sensitively and sympathetically, as it was in the earlier years of the development."

Resident Ian Dowell, of Cutters Wharf, said while there were numerous concerns, including that the plans were being built too close to the sea wall, making access for maintenance difficult in the future and no provision for amenity space had been added, he said: "The destruction of the estuary is our primary concern.

"There are now more than 100 letters of objection."

Andy Buchan of the EQRA said that Eagle One has reneged on a previous commitment to develop just seven apartments and two town houses: "Although this matter is very important to the Quay community, it is obviously more important to the town of Exmouth.

"We are very hopeful that no East Devon planning committee member will allow this blot on the estuary to happen, as it would be an eyesore to everyone for decades to come."

Eagle One has said they are unable to give a comment at this time.