A COMMUNITY group which has transformed a neglected area of Tavistock has been congratulated, during a meeting of the town council. Fitzford Cottages resident Sue Bailey told councillors land in front of the cottages, next to Tavistock Canal, had been ?overgrown?, had become a magnet for ?rats and vermin? and that residents had decided to take matters into their own hands to improve the area. She said owners South West Water had admitted to residents it did not have the resources to maintain the area properly and granted them a licence to improve it. The object of the project had been to remove decaying posts and debris, clear the bank and make access tidier and safer for residents, while improving the appearance of the area for people using Drake?s Walk on the other side of the canal, said Mrs Bailey. ?The clearing and preparation work was done by the residents themselves ? money was raised from Awards for All, Tamar Valley Services, Tavistock Town Council, West Devon Borough Council ? the remainder of the funding was raised by the residents themselves.? The only recent drawback was the increase in cars trying to park in the lane in front of the cottages, following the installation of extra yellow lines on roads in the immediate area, Mrs Bailey added. Cllr Jenny Metcalf, mayor of Tavistock, thanked Mrs Bailey for her update on the project and congratulated the group on their hard work. Cllr Roy Connelly said the parking issue was ?contentious? and difficult to solve, because although it was a highways matter, South West Water had ownership.