A BID to bring £1-million worth of grants to preserve and enhance Tavistock's historic town centre buildings won backing from the town council's finance committee last week.

The Tavistock Townscape Heritage Partnership is hoping to win the grant from the National Lottery's Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI). With matched funding, it could mean a £2-million investment in the town.

Town clerk Carl Hearn told members the partnership had now produced its final draft bid, which, if successful, could present 'real opportunities' for the town council, which owned so many of the historic buildings in the centre of the town.

He said there was a 'strong consensus' within the partnership that the auction rooms and pannier market, both owned by the council, were the 'critical buildings' in the draft.

'Essentially, what it would enable us to do is undertake repairs to council buildings in a way that's much more cost-effective than it would be to do it on our own.

'It really would provide a boost to the town in terms of investment in the town centre, which could only be a good thing in the current environment,' said Mr Hearn.

In financial terms, the cost of repairs to the auction rooms and pannier market was projected as £715,000. If the council participated in the scheme, it would have to contribute £60,000 per annum over the five years the scheme ran, but with grant funding the repair cost could be cut to £597,000 — saving the council £118,000.

The council could also apply for additional money to support other improvement works to its properties, while individual landowners within the town centre could also apply for part funding to improve their buildings.

But Cllr Harry Smith was concerned about the allocation process. He said the council was being asked to set aside £60,000 a year when there was no guarantee it would be successful in any application for grant funding.

Robert Plumb, West Devon Borough Council's regeneration officer, said a grant panel would be set up broadly to represent the Tavistock partnership, which would run according to standards and rules set up by the Lottery.

Cllr Dick Eberlie said: 'To reject an opportunity to win up to £2-million for this town would be a great mistake. We have a chance — the bid may not go through but it's worth trying.'

Cllr Eberlie said the main difference between this bid and a previous one which failed was the improved co-operation, trust and partnership between the town and borough councils.

'In my view, it's a win, win situation,' said Clr Eberlie, who proposed the council backed the scheme.

Town mayor Cllr Anne Johnson said bidding for Lottery funding was a competitive process but the town council had a duty to protect the historic buildings in its portfolio and such a substantial sum was much needed.

'I would say working with the heritage partnership is now very different than the way it was before, it's a very different group of people who are working together, and I would support Cllr Eberlie's proposal,' she said.

Cllr Mandy Ewings said: 'A while ago I would have been 110% behind Cllr Smith, but I do know a lot of work has gone into building relationships and now I am prepared to place my trust in that group.'

The committee agreed to back the partnership's bid for funding, setting aside up to £6,000 to support the next stage of the bid, and up to £60,000 per annum over five years in support of the scheme delivery phases. The decision was due to be ratified by the full council at its meeting on Tuesday night.