A TAVISTOCK doctor has described Devon and Cornwall?s decision not to sell him a plot of land for his surgery as a ?breathtaking demonstration of double standards.?
Dr James Allenby has offered the police £10,000 for the land, which has been disused for more than 30 years, to extend parking for patients at the surgery.
But police have rejected his offer, saying the land may be needed for future development work.
Dr Allenby said: ?I find this demonstration of double standards by public servants quite breathtaking.
?When they start asking for extra money for more police officers and they won?t accept this offer it leaves one speechless.?
He said a previous offer of £6,000 for the land he made in 1997 had been accepted by the police at the time but the deal had fallen through.
He added: ?When I made the first offer six years ago, they wrote to me saying the plot was surplus land which they had no use for. One wonders if there are other bits of their surplus land in the South West that could be put to better use.?
Dr Allenby said the landlocked plot measures about 30 yards by 25 yards and would enable at least an extra 16 cars to park at the surgery.
In a letter responding to Dr Allenby?s recent bid, Devon and Cornwall Police?s director of finance, Frank Graney wrote: ?It is necessary to keep the police premises and building schedule under review and we require sufficient flexibility to respond to changing needs and priorities.
?The future of Tavistock Police Station remains under review and the police authority maintain it is necessary to retain the land until this issue is finalised.?
West Devon and Torridge Liberal Democrat MP John Burnett has taken up Dr Allenby?s case.