OKEHAMPTON this week received a major £1.8 million economic boost, after Devon County Council pledged to take responsibility for a 36-acre site on the edge of the town and develop it for business use.

The site will be marketed as 'Opportunity Okehampton' and also be the preferred location for the proposed parkway rail station, if passenger traffic returns to the Exeter-Okehampton line.

Devon's Cabinet agreed either to buy the site from the Regional Development Agency, which is closing, or enter a stewardship agreement with the RDA's successor.

The county will be working in partnership with West Devon Borough Council on the initiative.

The decision will be a shot in the arm for employment in the town.

Okehampton, borough and county councillor Christine Marsh said: 'This is such good news for Okehampton.

'We are desperate for new employers to invest in this area and here is the opportunity for them.'

"It is also the ideal location in which to base the rail passenger service everyone is asking for. I will be working will all concerned to bring about an early delivery.'

She told the Times: 'This is the best of news.

'We have had so much negativity lately about Okehampton but this is something to really get excited about especially with the county council behind this and resolved to push it.

Mrs Marsh said the county council was also backing the extension of services on the Okehampton to Exeter rail link, which could possibly be implemented from as early as May 2012; the council has already given £250,000 to that scheme through its 'Investing in Devon' funds.

Okehampton Mayor Maureen McDonald was delighted with the announcement.

Cllr McDonald said: 'Anything that attracts business to Okehampton can only be a positive thing for the town.

'In hard times, this is a welcome boost for Okehampton.

'Getting the railway up and running and improving transport links further is also a great plus.

'We're working hard with Devon County Council, and this is great news.'

Will Mumford, Devon's cabinet member for economy, enterprise and employment, said: 'The county council is proposing to take a lead role in the development of the site in order to drive economic development and help to secure the medium to long term viability of the town.'

He said the plan was to develop the site next to the A30 over six years.

The county council would create and sell serviced plots for businesses to use.

Proceeds from the initial sales would be used to fund future development.

As the estate grew, the council would recoup its costs.

'We are all aware of the significant redundancies which Okehampton has had to face over the past six months,' he said.

'The town has had a particularly difficult time and the impact on employment has been considerable.

'Working with West Devon and other partners, we've helped to address some of the short term issues and a number of new jobs have already been created.

'We are now working on a longer term plan for the sustainable development of the town and this site would form a key part of that plan.'

Mr Mumford told the Cabinet: 'I believe this is the sort of leadership role Devon County Council should be taking in securing the future prosperity of Okehampton.

'The site's next to the A30 and centrally located and it should be pivotal to the economic wellbeing of the area.'

The site had been allocated for commercial development by West Devon Borough Council and already has outline planning permission.

The Okehampton Business Incubation Centre had been developed on the site and was operating successfully with high occupancy rates.