THE recent controversial granting of planning permission for a new out of town supermarket raises some serious issues about the way planning decisions are made.

West Devon Borough Council made an error over the classification of the site for retail use, Tavistock Town Council recommended approval against the advice of the chamber of commerce, West Devon Borough Council planning officers recommended rejection completely in line with national planning guidelines based on the experience of other market towns around the country, but borough councillors approved the application on a basis of strong lobbying from a tiny percentage of the overall local population.

Perhaps a solution to the problem of supporting our town centre would be to abolish the town council by merging its assets with the borough council and use the monies saved to cancel parking charges throughout the town centre, reduce business rents, provide specialist legal staff within the borough council planning department to support them on major planning issues, and obtain the community's opinion by mailing every individual household and private ballot.

Gillian Hiles

Tavistock