Okehampton East Business Park plans submitted

Plans to build a 20 acre business park in Okehampton have taken another step forward.

An outline planning application for the Okehampton East Business Park has been submitted and and formally accepted into the planning process.

If approved, it will be located to the east of the town and aims to create a range of commercial premises along with the creation of around 150 jobs.

The aspiration is to facilitate a suitable space for the creation of high quality business premises.

It follows an extremely positive public consultation in April this year where stakeholders and members of the public were invited to view the plans. Exhibition boards and information panels were left at the Okehampton Business Support Centre during that week for anyone to drop in and see

Cabinet member for Economy and Growth, Andrew Leadbetter says: “The development of the park is a integral part of the expansion of the area to the east of Okehampton and we hope that it will create new jobs and business opportunities. The planning application has been a fairly long time in the making, however, we needed to be sure it was absolutely right before submitting. This marks the next stage in the process and we look forward to working with West Devon Borough Council to achieve a decision in the next three months”

It is hoped to develop the park in two phases, the first would be an area just north of the Okehampton business centre and two areas on the main park site adjacent to the Higher Stockley Mead road. Once these are established and businesses have agreed to move onto the park, two additional areas would be developed.

The planning application, which includes use for office, distribution and industrial use, road and site levels, has been formally accepted into the planning process by West Devon Borough Council. If approved, it will be marketed to attract businesses followed by a tender process for construction works.

It’s hoped the estate road and plot preparation work will be complete by Spring 2015.

Local Member for the Hatherleigh & Chagford Division, James McInnes said; “I’m very pleased this application has now arrived with West Devon Borough Council. It is very important for Okehampton and its rural hinterland we have an expansion of jobs in the area.”