A PUBLIC meeting has been called in Bere Alston to sound out the community about proposals for a new Co-op supermarket on the outskirts of the village.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 19 at Bere Alston Parish Hall at 7.30pm.

Vice chair of Bere Ferrers Parish Council, Cllr Brian Lamb said the meeting was being called by the parish council before the council itself expressed an opinion on the planning application.

Comments are being invited on the application, APP 2215/22/FUL, by November 3 to planning authority West Devon Borough Council.

‘There are a lot of different views and our view is we should listen to them,’ said Cllr Lamb

The proposal is to build a brand new Co-op three times the size of the exiting Fore Street store on a greenfield site on the Tavistock road, the B3257, on the outskirts of the village.

The appicant states that the store will create 22 full and part-time jobs.

‘Given the size and location of the existing store within its limited size and lack of car parking and access for delivery vehicles the Co-op have outgrown the store and would like to provide a new retail offer to residents and visitors to Bere Alston and the surrounding area.

‘The existing Co-op store comprises a net sales area of some 78 sqm and is significantly undersized for a Co-op store offer.

‘The aisles within the existing store are cramped and the layout is poor with an inadequate service area making the store a poor shopping experience and fails to meet customer needs and expectations,’ stated applicant Westcountry Land (Kenwyn) Litd.

‘The existing store also presents a challenging working environment and conditions for the employees.’

It went on: ‘Given that only 10% of residents do their main shop within Bere Alston, based on the community questionnaire results from the Bere Alston Neighbourhood Plan, and the fact that the nearest retail store is at Tavistock some seven miles distant, there is an identified need to provide residents and visitors alike with a retail facility that would reduce the need to travel to shop to nearby Tavistock.’ Full details can be found within the planning section of the WDBC website, using the reference listed above.