THE long-running battle to save Okehampton pub the Moorcroft Inn has suffered a major defeat with the granting of planning permission to build homes on the site, following an appeal.

At the third attempt housing company Sylvan Developments, last week won their appeal against the decision by West Devon Borough Council?s planning committee to refuse the development.

Last October, the committee again voted against an application to demolish the Exeter Road pub and build six houses and two bungalows on the site.

Moorcroft Inn locals argued that the pub was an important community facility for the eastern end of Okehampton, but Exeter-based Sylvan Developments, which now owns the site, argued the business was not viable.

Dave Bird, who ran the inn on a temporary basis for five weeks before it closed and who organised a petition to save the inn, said the fight to keep the Moorcroft would go on.

?It is up to the locals, we need the backing of everybody, if we get that backing we could start the petition up again,? he said.

Mr Bird said the eastern end of Okehampton was growing and it needed community facilities. ?It is getting like one big housing estate, where is it going to stop?? he said.

Mr Bird said he felt the developers had ?no respect for the community.?

He added: ?All these outside firms are coming in and taking bits of Okehampton away, selling them off for huge profits, and taking the money up country again.?

?There are people in this town that would like to purchase this place. I know from my time there, it is a viable business,? said Mr Bird.

The appeal was lodged by Sylvan Developments in January this year.

Last week, the inspector allowed the appeal and granted planning permission for new housing at the site subject to a number of conditions, including standard time limit and landscaping in keeping with the site.

The planning inspector?s ruling acknowledged there was a case for keeping the pub.

?It would be desirable for a public house to operate on the site since this end of town is separated from the centre by a long hill and there are no other such facilities in the immediate vicinity,? he said.

However, he went on: ?Even with recent housing and employment development in the area, there is very little evidence that the business would become profitable under current conditions.

?The compelling factor is the large gap that exists between past performance and the level needed for profitability.?

He concluded: ?I am not persuaded that the expected new development will generate sufficient custom to the level that would be necessary to turn the fortunes of the Moorcroft Inn around.?

Although the Moorcroft Inn falls within the boundary of the Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council, the issue was discussed by Okehampton Town Council at its planning meeting on Monday.

Councillors agreed to write a ?strong letter? to Okehampton Hamlets encouraging them to consider making further representations.

Two previous appeals by the l Continued from page 1

developers were lost, the first in January last year, and the second last August.

The planning inspector looking into the first appeal by Sylvan Development concluded the borough?s reasons for refusing the application because the pub was an ?important community facility? were unjustified but the appeal was lost on technical grounds.

The inspector considering the second appeal took the totally opposite view and felt the pub could have a viable future considering the 800 new houses planned for the eastern part of the town.

Tony Hopper, director of Sylvan Developments, said he was ?delighted? the appeal had gone in their favour. ?We are just pleased that we eventually got where we wanted to be,? he said.

Mr Hopper said now that planning permission had been given, work on the site could start soon. ?We are hoping to start demolition from the end of next month. I am sure it will be an enhancement to the area,? he said.

Mr Hopper said he totally rejected suggestions by opponents that the Moorcroft was a viable business. ?You only have to look at the number of people who have gone through there since the bypass has been built to see the problem. They have all struggled and none of them were able to make a success of it,? he said.

Mr Hopper said some local residents were in favour of the project. ?There are quite a lot of people that do support us. We are thankful for their support,? he said.

l Turn to page 3