THE?planning application has been submitted for a Tesco supermarket at the site of the former Focus DIY store at Plymouth Road Retail and Industrial Park.

The prominent site on one of the key routes into town has been vacant for two years since Focus went into administration with the loss of 23 jobs.

Tavistock Chamber of Commerce has said it is strongly against the development, claiming it will be detrimental to the vitality of the town centre.

Tesco plans to operate from the existing building and planning permission is being sought to widen the range of goods that can be sold from the unit, including food, drink and a small amount of complementary non-food goods — but there will be no pharmacy, opticians, post office or cafe.

The application has been submitted by owners of the building Marchfield Properties and includes the removal of the former garden centre to create additional parking spaces and an additional exit lane onto Plymouth Road.

Of the 292 people who filled in feedback forms at a public exhibition in Tavistock on the Tesco plans 76% expressed support for the scheme.

Director of Marchfield Richard James said: 'We really appreciate all the support we have received in Tavistock for our plans to breathe new life into this important site.

'We look forward to working positively with the local community and the council in delivering these proposals.

'We firmly believe that, if approved by the council, these plans will benefit the town and its residents with the empty retail unit being brought back into use, providing a boost to the local economy and generating a significant number of new jobs.'

Chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce Nigel Eadie said: 'Our view has always been very simple, we think that the development of a supermarket on that site will have an adverse impact on the town centre.'

He said the primary role of the chamber was to make sure the town centre was protected and another supermarket on the edge of town would have an impact, that was not in dispute, not even by Tesco itself.

'We are also encouraged by the national planning policy guidelines that recognise the importance of town centres,' he said.

'It is very important that the planning process is allowed to go through and we hope that people will follow the national planning policy guidelines which are there for a reason to keep town centres vibrant and sustainable. We believe this is a bad development and we are strongly against it.'

The application is likely to come before the borough council's planning committee in early September.