A NEW block of flats for people with learning difficulties has been given the go ahead by West Devon Borough Council.

Fourteen flats will soon be built in Taylor Square, Tavistock, after a unanimous decision to grant planning permission at a meeting of the council?s planning committee on Tuesday.

The development will front on to Drake Road as well as Taylor Square and will include five parking spaces.

Councillors welcomed the development as it will make provision for people with specific needs and was seen as a positive move to take.

The number of parking spaces on the site caused some discussion, it was argued that there were insufficient spaces planned and the flat would increase the demand for parking in an already busy area of the town.

This was dismissed, however, because tenants of the flats will be people with learning difficulties and it is expected few of them will be able to drive.

The reduced number of parking spaces also complies with central government attempts to increase the use of public transport and lower traffic levels, and councillors hope it will encourage the use of public transport in the town.