A PROJECT to boost business in Tavistock has finally come to fruition ? more than 20 years after it was first mooted. West Devon Borough Council is on the brink of opening its ?Tavy Business Centre? at Pitts Cleave Industrial Estate where 15 units will be available to new businesses. The centre will bring an injection of industry to Pitts Cleave which has never been used to its full advantage. The £925,000 scheme, which has been funded by the South West Regional Development Agency and Objective 2 Programme with 10% coming from the council, was welcomed by members of the authority?s environment and community committee last week. Cllr John Hockridge said his memory of this site went way back over 20 years: ?It has been standing still for a very long time and we can see at last that something is happening there, especially for people who want to get started in business and then move on. It is a great shame it has taken so long.? Cllr Alison Clish-Green said she would have liked to see the units available to businesses who wanted to relocate, not just new ones, but she was told by officers that the whole basis of the funding was for new enterprise. Head of economic and community development Tim Beavon said there were larger units being built at Pitts Cleave by different landowners which would be suitable for other businesses. He said there were various reasons why the development of the industrial site, owned by the borough council, had taken so long, firstly buying it was a lengthy process, then getting together the funding for the roads and infrastructure. ?There were delays because of the Environment Agency?s flood assessment requirements and the market conditions had to be right,? he said. Mr Beavon added that there were four businesses trading at Pitts Cleave at the moment and other units available. The Tavy Business Centre units would be ready for renting at the end of April. The maximum length of tenancy will be three years with assistance being given to find suitable alternative accommodation. Rental will be at the market rate with an annual increase of 7.5% to encourage firms to move on once they become established. Councillors have stressed a desire to see Pitts Cleave renamed Tavy Business Park because of its location on the banks of the River Tavy.
