A £2.38-million project which could create up to 50 new jobs this week got under way in Tavistock. The scheme to create five industrial units and 15 workshops for new and existing businesses is taking place at Pitts Cleave Industrial Estate. The project has been spearheaded by West Devon Borough Council, in partnership with the South West of England Regional Development Agency. It has been funded by more than £1-million from the European Objective 2 funding programme, with the remainder of the cash coming from the council and the South West RDA. The 15 workshop units will be aimed specifically at start-up businesses, while the industrial units will suit businesses looking to relocate to larger premises. Tavistock borough council ward member Cllr Dick Eberlie, chairman of the council?s strategy committee, said: ?I am absolutely delighted work has started. It has taken a long time and there have been problems, but it?s grand news, it really is. ?There aren?t enough industrial sites in Tavistock and at last we are going to be able to put this site to good use ? it?s very good news for the town.? Cllr Nick Morgan, chairman of the borough?s environment committee, said: ?This will bring to the Tavistock area much-needed units which will provide the opportunity for new businesses to develop. These sort of businesses have an important role in developing the local economy.? Derek Harrison, operations consultant with the South West RDA, said: ?Pitts Cleave is an important development site and we?re delighted to be working with the council and Objective 2 on delivering a range of employment space that will bring quality jobs to West Devon.? Cllr Jenny Metcalf, mayor of Tavistock, said she was very pleased the development was under way. ?I think it would be wonderful to have some more jobs in the area ? it?s vastly important. It?s all very well building houses but people have to have jobs. It sounds extremely good news.? The new units, being built by Keir Western, are scheduled for completion in April 2006. Tim Beavon, West Devon?s economic development manager, said it was difficult to guage demand for the workshop units, because they were for new businesses, but this type of unit had proved particularly popular in other areas of the county. He said: ?These units will be specifically for businesses with good growth prospects and will allow them to become established, before they move on to larger premises. ?As far as the industrial units are concerned, the RDA did a study to test what the demand was in the Tavistock area before they went ahead and invested in it.? Mr Beavon said there were just two acres leftundeveloped at the Pitts Cleave estate, which were currently up for sale. ?The deadline for people to register their interest was last week ? we?ve had some interesting offers, so there?s good evidence of demand. We would expect to see up to four businesses on that area.? West Devon Borough Council first started acquiring land for the industrial estate towards the end of the 1980s, with the roads and infrastructure on the site being completed about eight years ago. The site was originally developed with cash from the European Objective 5b programme and the RDA?s fore-runner, the Regional Development Commission. Four businesses are currently situated at Pitts Cleave.
