SUPPORTERS of the old folk's rest room are disappointed that a fresh application to uproot them from their Tavistock premises has been lodged with West Devon planners. Two planning applications have been received on behalf of the building's owners, Huntstrete Estates — one to demolish the rest room at Brook Street and another to erect a two-storey retail shop on the site of the existing building. The rest room committee held its annual meeting last week but members had no inkling that a fresh planning application to demolish the building had been made at that time. The first supporters of the rest room knew of the proposal was when those who had written to object to the original application received a letter from West Devon Borough Council advising them of the owners' plan. The facility was built by public subscription in 1954 for the use of the over 60s. It is leased by Tavistock Town Council, which pays a peppercorn rent to Hunstrete Estates — but the lease only runs to April 2009. Janet Piper, the chairman of the rest room committee, who organised an 850-signature petition against the first planning application, said: 'We will have to hold a special meeting to discuss how we go forward with this. All we really can do is exactly what we did when we made our initial objection and make our views known to the borough council against the application. 'It is the town council who are the tenants and we know that from the end of February 2009 the terms will change and the rent will go up by 50 per cent of the retail value of the property. 'All we can do is post our letters of complaint. Although there was a strong petition, it only counted as one letter of objection so I urge people to write individually to West Devon planners to make their voice heard to save our rest room.' The next meeting of the rest room committee was due to be in September but Mrs Piper said that in the circumstances a special meeting would be called. Town council clerk Roger Howard said the council sympathised with the plight of the rest room members: 'The town council's position has not changed since Hunstrete Estates' last application. It's a great shame, the building has been there 50 years, however, the owners have the right and all we can hope is that they and West Devon, as the planning authority, can, under a Section 106 agreement, come up with an alternative or a new home for the facility.' Mr Howard added that if no such an agreement could be found then the town council would do all it could to support the rest room members to find a venue but such a proposition would be very costly for the council. A letter to West Devon Council, supporting the application to demolish the property and build a retail unit, said: 'The proposed design is to enhance the existing street scene and provide an additional retail outlet for the local community.' The surveyors for Hunstrete Estates, D R Mills Associates, of Bath, advised that there is a strong demand for retail requirements in Tavistock and that the design of the new two-storey building would 'blend in' with the more period shops. The design also includes lowering the site to improve disabled access and provide seating and planting areas for the 'beneficial use of the local community'. MP Geoffrey Cox, who signed the previous petition to help save the rest room, told the Times: 'I very much hope that a solution can be found that continues the facility available for the old folks of our town, which they value and cherish. 'I very much hope all parties, the councils and the developers, can give some thought to what is a tremendously important institution in Tavistock, which characterises the town and its community. 'If at the end of the day this is not possible, Tavistock will have lost something very valuable. It would be nice to think an enlightened developer would find it possible to create something for the old people of the town.' Representations concerning the applications should be made to West Devon Borough Council by June 26. The planning committee will discuss the proposals on August 19. Nobody from Hunstrete Estates was available for comment.
