A £6-million investment to create a new business park, including a 'green energy' business centre which will save up to 50 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, is to be built in West Devon. The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) is investing £3.25-million in the Okehampton Opportunity project, which will kick-start the transformation of a key 26-acre site just outside the town. An additional £2.25-million grant has been made by the Objective 2 European Regional Development Fund. West Devon Borough Council is adding a further £650,000 and will manage the project. The new buildings will include the latest green energy system and are at the forefront of sustainable development, with a 6KW wind turbine on site and a roof solar system providing a significant percentage of the buildings' energy needs. A wood pellet boiler will provide heating. Building materials have been selected for low environmental impact and the building structure and fabric is designed for low energy consumption, incorporating natural ventilation and maximising the use of daylight. A system to collect rainwater will also be installed to be reused in toilet facilities. The result is that carbon emissions from the units is expected to be about 80% less than using conventional energy sources. Work is due to start this month to build 16 small business starter units on the site alongside Exeter Road, near to the A30. Phase one of the scheme will also provide new roads and services, which will open up the rest of the site for further development. Cllr Jayne Hill, chairman of West Devon Council's environment and community committee, said: 'This is a flagship development in West Devon and we are confident that the units will attract new businesses and jobs to our area and further lift our local economy. 'At the same time, the design of these units and the sustainable features they include is both exciting and innovative.' Derek Harrison, South West RDA operations consultant for the Devon Area Team, said: 'This project will provide vitally-needed employment space for Okehampton and lead directly to the creation of new jobs. 'At the same time we want it to be a beacon project for sustainable design, showing that South West England can deliver ambitious projects to grow its economy while at the same time using the latest technology to protect the future ofl Continued from page 1 our unique natural environment." Steve Humphreys, rural manager of the Objective 2 Programme, said: 'For some time West Devon has been highlighting the shortage of available work space for new and expanding businesses. 'The Objective 2 Programme is pleased to make a significant contribution to this project, which will not only provide a new sustainable Rural Business Centre, but will prepare the site for future development. 'This project complements earlier support for Pitts Cleave, Tavistock and has resulted in over £4-million of European Regional Development Funding investment in the delivery of West Devon work space.' The buildings have been designed by a team of locally based consultants, including Exeter-based architects SMC Penrose, and will be built by the Exeter office of Rok. Natacha du Pont de Bie from Wood, near South Tawton, started Woodball Ltd — a ready meal business — in June of last year. She is currently producing food from home, but is planning to apply for one of the new units as soon as they become available. 'We're really excited about the development,' she said. 'Its whole ethos fits with the ethic of our own business — producing food using prime quality local ingredients, and no artificial additives.' 'It's a great place to have the development — it'll be right in the middle of one of the prime production areas in Devon for local foods. I know that there are lots of small food companies in the area that are looking forward to this development, and already planning how we could work together to share transport and refrigeration needs to fit with its environmental emphasis'.