PLANS for a major chain to open a ‘retail hospitality facility’ in Okehampton, on land currently occupied by public toilets, are in the pipeline as part of a multi-million pound investment project by West Devon Borough Council.

The borough council was approached by a regional franchisee expressing an interest in letting a unit in Okehampton to provide a new retail facility in the town, but with no existing vacant units of the size and type suitable, the borough council is proposing to utilise land on Market Street which incorporates the public toilets, due to close in March, and the taxi rank adjacent to Co-op.

The proposal will see the current toilet block being demolished and replaced with a ‘retail pod’.

Councillors at West Devon have already agreed an investment in the development and the project would have to go through the planning process.

If this happens and the plans move forward, the new unit is expected to take approximately 18 months to build.

Leader of West Devon Borough Council Cllr Philip Sanders said: ‘We are delighted to have interest in Okehampton from a major chain. It demonstrates confidence in the town and I think we should do everything we can to make it possible for them to invest here.

‘It will create jobs and bring footfall into the area to aid the high street. It will be a different offering to the units currently available within the town and therefore it is an exciting prospect.

‘The public toilets as they are at the moment would be demolished and new facilities would be provided inside the new unit. We also believe that the taxi rank could move to another location within the town, freeing up land for the development.’

For the full story, pick up today’s copy of the Okehampton Times, in stores now.