WITHOUT investment and growth, Okehampton will not thrive, hence, I welcome the prospect of a new Tesco supermarket, but we need to be realistic about potential negative consequences and plan to address these.  

Tesco (profit in 2011/12 £3.8-billion) has just opened a huge store in Woolwich. Permission was conditional on the retailer contributing to the construction of 259 apartments (literally above the store) and a 'green' HQ for the council.  

Why not make the Okehampton Tesco permission conditional on: funding a new 'Okehampton Parkway' rail station; paying indefinitely for free visitor parking and creating additional parking spaces in the town centre?

One outcome of the new store could be the demise of a supermarket on Market Street/School Way.  A deal for Tesco could include responsibility for clearing and landscaping any large retail site that becomes vacant within a specified period, so we don't end up with the blight of unoccupied sheds.

Tesco will expect to make good profits for decades from a new store in Okehampton, which is fine for their shareholders. Let's see some evidence that our council is working creatively to ensure any planning consent generates sustainable benefit for everyone in the town.

Steve Carefull

Exbourne