PLANNERS have approved a temporary building on the site of Okehampton Hospital whilst details are finalised for an extension to the facility.
A single-storey portable cabin will be placed at the rear of the hospital to be used as an office/ meeting place, for one year only.
The intention is to convert a section of the hospital proposed for offices and meeting rooms into a GP practice and then to extend the building to provide additional office space.
Concern was expressed by local residents regarding the visual impact of the proposal but this is expected to be reduced by landscaping.
It was the opinion of West Devon Borough Council?s planning officers that the opportunity to provide a community facility ? a second GP Practice for the Okehampton community ? outweighed the visual impact of the building.
Okehampton?s new community hospital was opened in May 2003 and the extension project is likely to be completed within two years.