A PLAN to diversify at Hatherleigh Market by providing business units is good news for the town.

That is the view of West Devon Borough councillor Dennis Bater, who represents Hatherleigh.

He was speaking after the borough?s planning committee put an outline planning application by the market?s Roger Vick on the ?fast track?.

The area is a strip of land between 20m and 30m along the southern and western boundaries of the market site. It is currently hard-surfaced and used for the weekly market and overflow car parking.

Cllr Bater said the scheme ?fits into a picture of how we would like that part of Hatherleigh to develop?.

He said in the new town plan ? which included the finishing off of the old plan ? there would be another 150 houses built.

?Going forward with units and future housing in the next ten years balances things out. We often find in Hatherleigh that we get things right.?

He said the market had gone through difficult times, but was holding out.

?What is happening is the market is changing course and going off in new directions. Diversification is being shown. I?m very optimistic.?

In his report to the council, planning officer John Milverton said the intention of the scheme was to develop a number of units around the site which ?will help support the market economically by providing a wider range of services and employment opportunities?.

He said that in principle this was considered welcome and in line with the policy for the site. ?But it will be necessary in granting outline consent to define how users will be adjudged to be ?market related?.?

He said officers suggested a restriction be placed upon the site requiring linkages to the market and or its clientele.

But he said that condition should be applied with a degree of flexibility so that, in the event of the market closing, other business uses on the site do not close ?thereby exacerbating the economic impact?.

Concerns had been expressed by the abattoir that the proposed development might result in complaints from tenants of any future units.

In his report Mr Milverton said, as it was deemed undesirable to allow development which might require more onerous controls on market/abattoir

activities, it is suggested that control is retained over the specific uses permitted on the site.