STRONG feelings have been expressed for and against proposals to enhance the Fairplace area of Okehampton, local government officers reported this week.

A week into the consultation process over proposals by Devon County Council and artist Ray Smith to create a pedestrian safe area and improve the toilets and garden, the authorities have received back in the region of 70 filled-in questionnaires.

The ideas went on display for the first time at Okehampton Show last Thursday which proved a very busy day for the officers from the county and borough councils.

Design engineer for the county council Tessa Jennings said 120 questionnaires were given out at the show but many people took them away to fill out at home. The exhibition the following day in the Charter Hall was not as well attended.

'The exhibition in the Charter Hall was a bit disappointing but we hope there will be more people next Friday,' said Tessa Jennings. 'A lot of people are not filling in a questionnaire because they do not believe we will take any notice but if they don't fill them in we cannot find out what they want.'

The authorities are urging people to come out and say what they think after the townspeople criticised them for not consulting enough over the plans for the enhancement scheme around St James Chapel.

The proposals for Fairplace include putting in informal crossings, raising the road surface and realigning the kerbs and walkways.

For Fairplace Gardens, artist for the borough council Ray Smith has designed a new granite-faced toilet block, lawned banks, low planting and seats. The paving has taken on a river theme, the same as the area around St James Chapel.

'There are some very strong feelings for and against the proposals,' added the design engineer. 'What has come out a lot in the questionnaires so far is that people do want a crossing to the post office and a lot would like something done with the garden and toilets.'

She said what the officers wanted was 'constructive criticism' and not just a negative 'blanket view' of the whole proposals.

Richard Jefferies, of Yer Tiz Caravan Park in Okehampton, said instead of asking people whether they liked this or that the residents should be asked if they wanted anything at all done in that area.

'I am not saying I do not like the ideas like having extra car parking spaces by the post offices but do we want to spend an enormous amount of money on the whole thing?

'I think it needs to be thought of in terms of the cost and the benefit,' he said.

Town councillor Stanley Stormont said the toilets definitely needed to be replaced: 'It makes sense to do the highways work and replace the toilets all in one go.'

'Ray Smith has reflected the rivers in his design which was what everybody wanted and he has reflected Dartmoor — I can see what his idea was all about.'

Margaret Williams, of Sampford Courtenay, said there should have been a range of different ideas by landscape designers for Fairplace Gardens.

'The toilets look like a Nissan hut — it is disgraceful — I think a child could do better.

'There should have been a competition so we could choose the design — it is asking for trouble showing just one drawing.'

She said there were so many programmes on television on garden makeovers where a lot of imagination had been used.

'I think the design before us at the moment is very poor,' she said.

Her husband Gwyn said Fairplace Gardens was an important part of the town.

'It is a focal point as you drive down Station Road and it could be a very pleasant place to sit as it catches the sun all the way around.

Jenny Pedrick, who lives in Mill Road, felt that the design was too stark.

'It needs softening — it is a little bit grey,' she said. 'I would like to see the gardens full of flowers.'

She said she was not a fan of the river paving around St James Chapel but thought perhaps in time it would 'blend in'.

'I agreed with making Fairplace safer for pedestrians — it is a nightmare trying to cross that road at the moment.'

'A World War Two bunker' was the way Peter Southcott described the toilet design.

'I think something could be built using granite that would blend in more than this design — it looks like a World War Two bunker.

'With an old town like Okehampton it needs something in keeping with the style of it.'

'I do not have a strong opinion on whether the road level should be raised or not providing it is safer for pedestrians.

Designs for Fairplace will be on display in the Charter Hall tomorrow (Friday) and in other locations in the town until the end of August including the library, Ockment Centre, Fairplace Church, the post office and Okehampton OK. Questionnaires and comments have to be in by September 1.