A PROJECT to create much needed childcare facilities in a Dartmoor parish has been given the go-ahead by planners.
The application to demolish a barn and construct a day care nursery at Greatastones Farm near Chagford was originally recommended for refusal by Dartmoor National Park's planning committee.
In the light of much local support for the nursery scheme, members of the planning committee held a site visit.
The site inspection panel reported that access to the site could be improved to satisfy the safety concerns of the county's highways department.
The committee members heard that although to approve the nursery application would mean a departure from the national park's core strategy, there were strong community needs for additional childcare in the area.
The committee heard that the facility, due to its location, the fact it would introduce children to farming life and provide a service which is currently not offered anywhere else on the locality, would be welcomed by the community and could quickly become over-subscribed.
Cllr James McInnes proposed the application be granted, subject to it being advertised as as a departure from strategy and subject to conditions including revised access plans, the completion of highway improvement works and submission of a green travel plan.
The committee backed Cllr McInnes's proposal — there was just one vote against.