OKEHAMPTON could be one step closer to having its own dedicated coach park, after councillors this week gave the thumbs up to a request to pursue a site near the town?s Beare Bridge.

West Devon Borough Council?s economic, leisure and community development committee agreed up to £12,000 should be spent on investigating use of council-owned land behind Brayhams Terrace.

Cllr John Hockridge said he welcomed a facility which would attract coaches to Okehampton, although he had reservations that the proposed site was the right one, given traffic congestion in Fore Street.

Cllr Nick Morgan, chairman of the committee, said it was ?very important? to get this type of facility provided in Okehampton.

David Inman, borough deputy chief executive, said the call for a coach lay-over facility in Okehampton had been been ?fairly vociferous over a fair period?.

He said: ?Practically all market towns these days are getting into the situation where coaches drop off passengers and go off and park. What?s lacking in Okehampton is this question of lay-over facilities.?

Mr Inman said the borough engineer thought the area was ?feasible? although extensive consultation would still need to be carried out with other agencies including the highways department, planning department and Environment Agency.

He said the council had considered using land in Oaklands Drive, but the idea had been ruled out due to differing ground levels which would create problems with coaches ?grounding? at the road entrance. The entrance was also considered unsafe due to restricted visibility.

He said the proposed site behind Brayhams would probably be big enough for three parking bays plus a turning area, which was considered adequate at present.

?I think this is a good medium term measure which perhaps we can improve in the long term, once we have been able to monitor the number of buses involved,? said Mr Inman.

He said traffic congestion in Okehampton was ?a question of perception?.

?Clearly in the mind of the local populace they feel there is congestion in the Market Street area ? whether outside of the town they would feel the same I don?t know,? he said.

?My gut feeling is that if people want to come to Okehampton they are probably going to get no more congestion than they would experience in any other market town. It?s a facility we are trying to provide so Okehampton is not written off the map for visiting coaches.?

Cllr Dick Eberlie said: ?I think we should go for this. Half a loaf is better than none and we will now be able to tell coach operators there will be a facility for them.?

Ian Bailey, chairman of the town?s chamber of commerce, said: ?For a long time we have pushed for a coach park for Okehampton ? we feel it?s important in bringing people in and out of the town and for visitors to Okehampton.

?Although the site is not ideal, it?s certainly better than nothing, it?s a move in the right direction and we welcome it.?

Cllr Christine Marsh, mayor of Okehampton, said a coach park was ?badly needed? in Okehampton, though she too had reservations about the site in question.

Cllr Marsh said: ?I?ll keep an open mind about it. I wouldn?t rule it out because it?s so important for the town, but it really needs to be looked at properly, otherwise it?s just money wasted.?

Cllr Marsh said she thought the coach park should have more facilities like toilets and also somewhere for drivers to sit, rather than just a hard standing area.