PLANNERS this week unanimously approved a proposal for a Tesco store on the edge of Tavistock — despite the recommendation by officers to refuse the scheme.

Members of West Devon Borough Council's planning committee said there was a lot of public support for the plans, which would bring the former Focus building in Plymouth Road back into use, and considered the effect on the town centre shops would be minimal.

The store is expected to be up and running by the autumn.

Following the decision, Peter Harding of Fairway Furniture on the Plymouth Road Industrial and Retail Park and supporter of the Tesco plan, said: 'Speaking on behalf of all the traders in that part of Tavistock, this is a major step forward.

'It will start the regeneration of that area which is already estab-lished but needs to be shown in a more positive light.'

Representatives from the dozen firms on the estate held a demon-stration before the meeting and said they expected an extra 40 jobs to be created for their businesses from increased footfall in that area — on top of the 105 full and part-time positions that will be offered in the store.

Planning officers said the application was finely balanced, but recom-mended it be refused because it would have a significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre.

They said it would result in the concentration of three supermarkets in a single, out of town location, where other retail uses exist, and there was scope for intensification.

Tavistock Chamber of Commerce and Tavistock BID (Business Improve-ment District) had both raised objections to the application — but it had been supported by Tavistock Town Council.

Tony Whitehead, chair-man of BID, said many businesses in the town were extremely fragile and operating at the margins.

'Traders are struggling to keep going despite many initiatives to help them and any impact, however small, from another source could tip the balance,' he said.

'Tesco will lead to job losses and the demise of the town centre and all our hard work will be futile.'

The borough council received 306 letters in support of the plans, a petition of 191 names in support from owners of the site, Marchfield Properties, and 121 letters against the plans.

Members were told that the proposal was very different from the Sainsbury supermarket application for a greenfield site on Plymouth Road, which was refused by the planning committee in 2008 — a decision which was upheld on appeal.

The committee heard the proposed Tesco store was less than half the size of the Sainsbury appli-cation and was for a brownfield site. The former Focus building would be utilised in its entirety, with only cosmetic changes.

Some 122 car parking spaces would be created and only 13% of the store would be given over to goods other than food.

Conditions were put in place to prevent a pharmacy, restaurant and a post office being created at the store and the opening hours would be 8am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Road improvements include creating separate lanes for north and southbound traffic exiting the site.

The scheme would include a developer's contribution of £70,000 for town centre improve-ments, £15,000 for improved signage and £165,000 for a new bus route.

Ward member for the Plymouth Road area Cllr Alison Clish-Green said Plymouth Road was already well established as an edge-of-town develop-ment.

'What we need is a proper balance of in-town and edge-of-town shop-ping provision, thus retaining trade rather than driving people to other towns,' she said.

'Following the demise of Focus, rest assured the applicant did try to obtain either a DIY-type business or a garden centre business on this site, but none were forthcoming.

'We can't dictate what business occupies this site so the choice is: the site remains vacant and derelict or we grasp this opportunity and grant this application.'

Cllr David Whitcomb said there was a lot of demand for this proposal from local people.

'I do feel like I am between a rock and a hard place here but I am a great believer in consumer choice and there are so many people in Tavistock who would like this application approved,' he said.

Councillors said they believed people would continue to come to Tavistock for its unique shopping experience and online shopping was the biggest threat to the high street — not super-markets.