A BID to create a new car park in Tavistock?s Pixon Lane this week stood to be rejected by the town council, which owns the site. The council?s properties committee last week discussed an offer to work in partnership with West Devon Borough Council to develop a public pay and display car park on undeveloped land in Pixon Lane. The site is currently leased by Ward and Chowen, which runs the adjacent Tavistock Livestock Market. The borough has suggested the town sign over the land for a minimum of ten years, so it could tarmac it over at a cost of around £25,000. The borough would then pay the town council 50% of any pay and display income it received over £10,000 a year. Councillors commissioned a report from its surveyor John Daborn of Drew Pearce into the partnership offer. Cllr Iain Andrews, chairman of the properties committee, said: ?I think it?s fairly clear he believes it wouldn?t be in the town council?s best interests, or the town itself, to enter into this partnership.? Cllr Andrews added that statistically, it would appear the income from the car park would be unlikely to reach the £10,000 level, so the council would receive little, if any benefit, from the proposal. Cllr Ted Sherrell said while he had no objection to partnership working when necessary, generally the council should ?paddle its own canoe?. He said there was a shortage of on-street parking in Tavistock ? but Riverside Car Park was seldom full and even Bedford Car Park often had available spaces. ?If people are not going to use Riverside, they are not going to walk the extra to get to Pixon Lane,? he said, proposing the council maintained the status quo regarding the land. Cllr Mandy Govier was opposed to tying up the land for ten years with the possibility of no benefit to the council or town. She favoured maintaining the status quo, or if necessary, the town council could develop its own car park. Cllr Brian Trew said he would ?very much? like to see an alternative commercial use for the land, although this could not be pursued unless or until the cattle market relocated to an alternative location. Until this time, he said the council should make no move towards a partnership with the borough. Cllr Norma Woodcock agreed with Cllr Sherrell?s proposal, but added the situation regarding parking in Tavistock should be monitored. The council was due to agree the committee recommendation at its full meeting on Tuesday night.
