Local shop to be built to serve residents of new Newton Abbot housing estate

A new convenience store to help give residents of a new housing estate have someone to shop has been approved.

Teignbridge District Council planners gave permission for the store to be built on the site of the ‘Pascoe and Gill’ garage on Ashburton Road in Newton Abbot.

Under the approved plans, the existing car valet and garage businesses will be retained on the site, but rearranged so that the new convenience store can be built.

When open, the convenience store will open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week, and will give the residents of the new Hele Park housing estate nearby a local shop to visit.

Calling for the plans to be approved, Cllr Phil Bullivant, who represents the Bradley ward in which the scheme is located, said: “This area is in desperate need of what the application is designed to put forward. It will be a major benefit to the Hele Park residents and I have no problem with the development at all.”

Letters of support had said that a shop in this location would be beneficial to the public, it would be convenient, and would be fantastic to have a shop on the edge of town, but there were some objections relating to concerns about noise, a potential alcohol licence, and teenagers loitering around and children trespassing onto property.

Planning officers though recommended the plans be approved, and councillors on Tuesday voted by 17 votes to none, with one abstention, for approval.

The scheme had been brought before the planning committee solely because the applicant is related to a Member of the Council.