PLANS to build a 60-room care home in Okehampton have been accepted on appeal after they were rejected last summer.

Southern Properties last year applied to West Devon Borough Council for a time limit extension on an application from 2009 to build a care home facility with two and three storey elements, with a car park, staff areas and vehicular access on Gunns Yard, located to the rear of the Pretoria Vaults, the Exeter Arms and Okehampton Library.

The town's old lemonade factory currently stands on the site. Evidence suggests that the building was built between 1905 and 1914, and borough councillors were keen to see it retained.

Ten councillors unanimously refused the application last June, based on the fact that the site's medieval field boundaries and the lemonade factory building needed to be more fully retained in any future applications.

Councillors also raised concerns about access to the site.

Their decision went against a recommendation by the planning officer for approval.

In his appeal decision notice, the inspector from the Planning Inspectorate said: 'Whilst the council state that the building and boundary features are considered to be heritage assets by local ward members, planning officers and members of the public, they have not provided a detailed statement of significance for these and have provided little evidence to demonstrate their assertion.

'No documentary evidence has been supplied in the form of maps or historical documents and there is no evidence before me to indicate an intention to include the assets on a local list.'

Under the terms of the planning application, the developers will re-use some stone from the lemonade factory on the external walls of the new building, submit a wildlife management plan and implement sustainable drainage.

Piers Turner, of Southern Properties, said: 'We're very happy with the outcome. We had great difficulty understanding the factual basis of the councillors' vote which ignored the advice of the planning officer.

'This development will bring very many construction and care jobs to Okehampton. We've been working on this development since 2005 and can finally see those much needed jobs started to be created.'

The home has been earmarked to provide specialist care facilities for victims of car accidents and suffering head trauma.