AN outline planning application for the relocation of Bloggs Garage in North Tawton Square to a new site beyond the development boundary has been rejected.

Members of West Devon Borough Council planning committee voted against the plan because the proposal did not comply with various planning criteria.

The committee heard proprietor Robert Turland wished to move a reduced business ? without petrol sales or bodyshop ? to a site known as Strawberry Fields and concentrate on car repairs and

servicing.

In his report, planning officer John Milverton said the applicant had experienced difficulties in finding a site within the town ? and this was why a greenfield site had been proposed.

He said the existing Bloggs Garage was ?a substantive business? that had ?an extensive customer base? within the town.

?The applicant wishes to remain in the town or in close proximity to it, but has not been able to find a suitable site.?

Planning consent has been given to demolish the existing garage and create a car park and some sheltered housing.

But Mr Milverton said officers acknowledged that there were few opportunities to create a new garage business within the town.

He said a number of factors counted against the application for the Strawberry Fields site.

The report stated the proposal was well outside the development boundary and on a greenfield site.

There has been ?substantial opposition? from nearby residents, and the town council is also an objector.

?While officers are sympathetic to the position of the applicant and the strong local need for a garage and service centre, it is considered that this does not outweigh the planning and policy objections to the scheme,? his report stated.

?The issue is one of principle rather than one of design ? and what is proposed is a development on a green field site.?

Chief planning officer Stephen Gill said:

?Officers are sympathetic to the garage and would like to see it relocated. It is a matter of finding an appropriate site. This isn?t just a matter of procedure ? this isn?t a particularly appropriate site.?

He said in a couple of months? time when the local planning inquiry is completed there might be a better site.

Committee chairman Cllr Roger Mathew told members: ?Either you think the need outweighs the policy objection or you don?t.

?You have to weigh up the undoubted need to find a replacement site. And as the head of planning has told us it is quite possible that the local planning inquiry will identify an optimum site. It could be this site ? but we don?t know.?

Members voted in favour of the officers? recommendation to reject the application.