THE planning inquiry into the application by supermarket giant Sainsbury's to build a new store on the outskirts of Tavistock sparked debate during a meeting in the town last week.
The Brook Campaign, which is fighting the application, had asked the town council if a large poster, describing its aims and the details of the inquiry, could be placed on the wall of the town hall.
Cllr Debo Sellis said: 'I feel we can't prejudice ourselves with this. There may be people that are in favour of it and I don't think as a town council we can prejudice ourselves in this way.'
Cllr Philip Sanders said: 'I think there's another problem. If we allow this poster, we would also have to allow anyone else that wishes to object to Sainsburys to have equal sized posters displayed — we could find the town hall ending up being a bill posting wall and I don't see how we can be expected to decide between this and any other organisation. It could be a recipe for absolute mayhem in the future.
'They are working very hard for what they believe is best, but there is the issue that not everyone is opposed to Sainsbury's.'
Cllr Jenny Metcalf said: 'I feel it's invidious if we advertise this — I don't think it's our job.'
Cllr Michael Harper suggested the clerk contact the Brook Campaign to say the council had no objection to publicising the inquiry, as it was a public meeting, but did not wish the accompanying publicity regarding it to be included on the poster.
The council agreed the proposal and the clerk will write to the campaign group, which is comprised of traders, business organisations and residents fighting to protect the vitality of Tavistock town centre, to explain its decision.
The Sainsbury's application, for a supermarket, coffee shop, petrol station, business units and associated car parking on land at Brook, opposite Bishopsmead, was rejected by West Devon's planning committee last October.
The committee said the proposal would result in a 'significant and unacceptable detriment to the town centre'.
Sainsbury's appeal against the decision will be heard by a planning inspector at The Bedford Hotel in Tavistock, starting on April 21.
The appeal is expected to last five days. Members of the public may attend the inquiry and at the inspector's discretion, express their views, but to speak, they must attend on the opening day.