A PLANNING application to create a tea room on the site of the old Owen's bookshop in Tavistock was last week turned down by planners.

The application, if approved, would have seen the three-storey, Grade II Listed building at 4 King Street converted for restaurant/café use, with the business specialising in worldwide teas.

West Devon Borough Council's planning committee was told that no food was to be produced on site and the only food sold would be pre-packaged or prepared off site. There were also no proposals for a commercial kitchen.

Planning officers told the committee that a key issue included the impact of the proposal on ventilation and air quality, in relation to nearby residential properties.

The opening hours were proposed to be 11am to 10pm on Monday to Friday and Sunday and 11am until midnight on a Saturday.

Planning officer Ben Wilcox had recommended the application be approved. He said: 'It is considered the creation of a new business on one of the town centre's secondary shopping streets would help draw customers to other parts of the town, thus helping create a greater level of vibrancy. The proposed use is not considered one which would hinder the success of other nearby businesses.

'Officer view is that the proposed development would have a limited detrimental effect upon the character of the site and limited detrimental effect upon residential amenity.'

However, the planning committee turned down the application, on the grounds of the incompatible restraints of the property and concerns over toilet provision and access to toilets.