THE announcement that the government of the South West have scuppered the plan for a dedicated Food Park at Junction 27 of the M5 (junction with Tiverton) is bad news for the West Country as a whole but underlines the total refusal to appreciate the potential of ?real food? by this Government. However it could be an opportunity for Okehampton to step in. Planning permission has been granted within the Exeter Road Business Park for a number of small industrial units on land that was bought to ?house? the possible extension of the Sprung Slumber factory, but of course that did not happen. In the late 1990s when I was a director of Okehampton OK, the supposed regeneration vehicle for our area, I suggested that land be set aside to provide appropriate space for ?embryonic units? for emerging food businesses because Okehampton was a potential centre. This facility would be designed along lines being developed by Aston University and I produced a full and detailed ?paper? but it was seemingly pushed aside because West Devon Borough Council wanted to develop Pitts Cleave in Tavistock. Okehampton once again lost out. Now though with that development established and planning permission granted for small industrial units and the great road connections that connect Okehampton to the far South West and of course to the rest of the country should not we develop our advantage? It is likely that under the demand for housing in the South West we will be required to provide a large proportion of that land so employment will be required and here is a ?heaven sent opportunity? to give the district a real emphasis. I may not on the surface appear involved in the local food scene but I am very involved nationally in the promotion of our home-produced food products. It is embarrassing that Government are ignoring the potential in the South West and so our producers lose out because of the stranglehold of the supermarkets when the creation of a centre for local and South West products could be established and to the benefit of this area. Derek Godfrey Brown Larkbeare Okehampton