WHILE I agree with Mr Phillips (Letters, July 11) that Tavistock is a beautiful town — that is why we live within its boundaries, but it is not unique.

I imagine that the residents of Matlock, Lewes, or Shaftesbury and many others might make a similar claim but occupation of the old Focus site by Tesco does not make it 'suburbia'.

Any use is to be preferred to the current run-down impression of unoccupancy but we know from experience that our small population will never support a sizeable DIY store.

The discounting of the arguments of co-located traders is also misplaced; the purchase of a replacement tyre or a picture frame is always a specific discretionary purchase as is a visit to gift, clothing or phone shops in the town.

The converse could apply ie: the need for such purchases might be conjoined with grocery purchases.

This would take nothing away from the town but rather from Morrisons' market share — competition to be applauded.

The doubt about the magnitude of job creations should be tempered by the acceptance that, to many, the availability of even part time employment is infinitely better than no job at all!

Colin Sansom

Tavistock

TODAY (Thursday) is our last opportunity to comment on the application by Tesco to develop the Focus site. I urge those who feel that this development would be detrimental to Tavistock to write now to West Devon Borough Council.

The fact is that Tesco's own analysis of the number of people who attended their exhibition and supported this proposal represents 1.8% of the population of Tavistock. We can assume that this percentage includes the trades people on the Plymouth Road Industrial Estate who have a vested interest in building up their own businesses.

From the point of view of the residents of Tavistock, there will be major traffic congestion in both directions on the Plymouth Road from the Morrisons roundabout, which will affect every individual as they try to get around Tavistock, if this proposal is agreed.

The new half-length filter lane from the industrial estate (or 'retail park as Tesco are now calling it') will do nothing at all to ease these traffic problems. There will also be a significant increase in the level of noise affecting residents of all the adjacent residential areas.

Nothing has changed since the planning inspector threw out Sainsbury's appeal to develop land adjacent to Morrisons because this would be detrimental to the vitality of the town centre and was contrary to national planning guidelines. Tesco themselves declare that they are likely to draw around 1.34% of trade from the town centre and they regard this as minimal. The problem is that any new development should clearly support the town centre and any development outside the town which is in any way detrimental should not be encouraged.

I firmly believe there is a real danger that the character of Tavistock will be damaged for ever if this development goes ahead.

Gillian Hiles

Tavistock