THE purchase of a 36- acre development site on the edge of Okehampton by Devon County Council to help boost the town's economy was finalised last week.

The site will be marketed as 'Opportunity Okehampton', with the aim to attract businesses and employers into the town, and help local fledgling businesses to grow. Devon's Cabinet agreed to buy the site from the Regional Development Agency, investing £1.8million in the project.

Central Devon MP Mel Stride met with Devon County Council cabinet member Will Mumford, West Devon Borough Council leader James McInnes and county councillor Christine Marsh at the Okehampton Business Centre last Friday to discuss the deal being secured, and the next stage of development.

The purchase of the site is an effort to help boost the long-term employment and economic prospects of the town.

The Okehampton Works initiative, taking place this week to highlight training and employment opportunities, is aiming to try and solve the short-term issues.

Mel Stride said: 'Well I think the most important thing going forward for Okehampton is getting some jobs developed here.

'Clearly we've had some very difficult times over the last few months with Polestar closing, Wiseman's, Browne's, and so on.

'We are beginning to see a number of new jobs being created, due really to the great community spirit there is here, the pulling together of the county council, the borough council, and the town council, and Devon and Cornwall Business Council, so it's been a tremendous effort.

'But longer term, looking beyond that, we're going to have to start developing more jobs in the area, probably in more diverse areas than food production.

'We have to look at other areas too. I think that's the exciting thing about this. It's an opportunity to lay the foundations for that to happen.

'I think one of the key benefits of this site is its location.

'It's right on the A30, it's very central when it comes to the county.

'It's on the main arterial route through to Cornwall, so one's got to imagine distribution is an important factor. But the site could attract a whole variety of different things.

'New business start-ups, new companies, I would expect to see more small businesses coming into this kind of area.

'To have a purpose-built, very high quality development, which this will be, will start to put Okehampton on the map in a way it hasn't been in the past, perhaps.'

Cllr Christine Marsh said: 'It will be a huge boost.

'I'm hoping it will become a really positive project for the town and give back a bit of confidence in the area. We desperately need it —this is an opportunity, with Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council behind it as well, and hopefully other businesses throughout the country will see the potential and location of it.'

The county council have also been backing the extension of services on the Okehampton to Exeter rail link, which could possibly be implemented as early as May 2012.

Cllr Marsh said: 'In terms of the parkway station, one will support the other.

'We have to look at alternative methods of transport now other than roads. There's a report being done on the railway, which is looking very positive, and one will help the other.'

'Everyone's hoping the building of the Parkway station will start in January.

'It's going before cabinet, and they will look at it.

'The plan is to have a passenger service if possible by May next year, and to have development start in January makes me hope the timescales for this to happen will be correct.'

Will Mumford, Devon's cabinet member for economy, enterprise and employment said: 'We have been looking at both the short-term issues and long-term issues, and ho­w we can resolve those things.

'The Okehampton Works programme is a product of getting various bodies to look at the short-term issues, and how to tackle those.

'The site here for Opportunity Okehampton is one part of sorting out the medium to long term issues.

'This is an opportunity to help unemployed and people made redundant recently to get back into work.'

Cllr James McInnes said: 'When Polestar closed, it was a devastating blow. Devon County Council came in quickly to try and resolve the problem.

'Those who came from the county council saw the location of the town, and saw a golden opportunity for things to go right.

'West Devon Borough Council and Devon County Council need to have discussions into how to develop this site. We need to be flexible enough to encourage people here.

'Okehampton can act as a catalyst for the wider community around the town. The Okehampton Works programme can help those in Okehampton, Hatherleigh, North Tawton, Chagford and other local communities make themselves more employable or start up a new business.

'And the site here will hopefully have a long-term effect for these communities.'