RESIDENTS of Callington have responded 'very positivity and enthusiastically' to plans for a Tesco store in the town, following a public consultation last week attended by around 1,500 people.

The supermarket chain will be submitting a planning application within the next two months to build a 30,000 sq ft store on Tavistock Road, to the west of Ginsters.

A Tesco spokesperson told the Times the vast majority of those people who completed forms at the two-day event favoured a foodstore coming to the town.

'There was also some very useful feedback and we are now reviewing our proposals in the light of comments received,' he said.

'It was clear from talking to local people that they wanted a petrol filling station and clothes and also it was interesting that a number of people felt the traffic lights on Tavistock Road, which are part of our proposal, would be beneficial in controlling speeding traffic.'

A household survey by Tesco has revealed that 80% of local residents travel out of Callington to do their food shopping and often link this with shopping for clothes and electrical goods.

It is hoped a new food store will encourage people to combine food shopping in Callington with other spending in the town centre.

Tesco representatives will be holding meetings with traders in the town in the near future.

'Everybody has a fear of food stores but we want to reassure people that we are not a threat and that we want to work with local traders,' added the company spokesman.

'It is a win win situation.'

The proposal is for a store three quarters the size of the Launceston Tesco and will include a bakery and delicatessen and a limited range of clothing, particularly children's.

There will be 300 car parking spaces and a petrol station, which has been welcomed locally, as Callington's last remaining petrol station closed earlier this year.

The site will have a bus stop and a number of cycle racks and the building is likely to include a number of energy saving measures.

Local resident David Kelly said if people wanted a top quality supermarket in their town, then Tesco would provide that, but he felt the downside would be the effect on local traders.

Mr Kelly said: 'Tesco will be selling fruit and veg, newspapers and it will also have a bakery which will impact on the shops in town.

'In terms of the bakery Tesco can sell a product cheaper than a local trader can buy ingredients for and they will just not be able to compete. I believe the Co-op will go within two years if Tesco moves in.'

But Gillian Beresford-Power, who used to own a grocery shop, said she believed competition was a good thing.

'It will mean that Co-op will not have the monopoly on pricing which it has at the moment,' she said.

'The less competition there is, the less everyone benefits — why do people go to Plymouth or Tavistock? Because there is lots of choice.

'Callington is a town but it is like a large village in that it has a real community feeling and people care about each other.

'I do think the local shops will have to look at the way they market themselves, but local people will still support them. Hopefully Tesco will bring more people into the town and there will be a spin off.'

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said the town needed something to 'regenerate it': 'This has been talked about for years — I think it is a good idea if only for the petrol station as we have lost all three petrol stations that used to be in Callington.'