TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant BT is being urged to 'come clean' about its intentions for the repeater station in Tavistock's Plymouth Road by West Devon MP John Burnett.

BT insist the building is not on the market, despite estate agents details being produced last September and a recent planning application to convert the building into nine flats.

Joe Flynn of Tavistock Primary School and John Simes of Tavistock College approached Mr Burnett last year about securing the building for both schools.

It could provide more space for College sixth formers, an in-house centre for training teachers, a new hall for the Primary School and community education facilities.

Mr Burnett said: 'It's time that BT came clean. Having been told it was for sale a year ago, then being told it's not, it appears at the very least that this site is gathering a history of ambivalence that is not in the interests of our schools.

'I will be writing to the chairman of BT, asking exactly what further use they have for the building and explaining that the community in Tavistock is very anxious that it be brought within the school campus,' said Mr Burnett.

The repeater station receives booster signals via fibre optic cables from Goonhilly Satellite Station in Cornwall.

Fred Eastman of BT's property disposal programme said it was likely to be years, not months, before the building could be marketed.

'I am very hopeful we will be able to get planning consent and remove the few people placed there elsewhere, but we really are struggling with the operation.

'There are one or two fibre-optic cables which are very difficult and very expensive to do anything with and we are struggling to come up with a technical solution,' he said.

'Obviously it would be nice to have the planning consent in the bank as it will enhance the value of the property and increases our flexibility,' said Mr Eastman.

Despite the fact the application is to convert the building to flats, Mr Eastman said BT is still 'very interested' in the desire of the schools to expand into the site.

'We are very much aware of their interest and I did speak to one of the governors recently and informed him of what we are doing,' Mr Eastman said.

But Joe Flynn said he was 'surprised and disappointed' to hear about the planning application, which he said came 'out of the blue'.

'We have objected to the plans for safety reasons, with access onto the road and increased use — it's an absolute nightmare on that road anyway,' said Mr Flynn.

'I am very disappointed with BT — that building could be great for Tavistock, not just for the two schools,' he said.

And John Simes said the application was 'a complete surprise' to him too, but he was still 'very hopeful' the building could be acquired for the schools.

'We see it as part of a development of the whole educational estate for Tavistock,' he said.

Scott Rossiter of estate agents Alder King confirmed particulars for the BT building have been prepared, but 'no formal instructions' had been given to market the building yet. He expected those instructions to follow a planning exercise currently being undertaken by BT.