An Okehampton town councillor has argued that Devon County Council’s (DCC) proposal to introduce on-street parking meters in Okehampton will undermine the county council’s urban renewal project.

Cllr Bob Tolley raised the argument, which he hopes will persuade DCC to reconsider the proposal, at the latest council meeting (October 30) as councillors continue to battle with the county council over the plan.

Okehampton, said Cllr Tolley, was identified in the Devon County Coastal and Market Urban Renewal Programme as one of the eight most deprived towns in the county and the introduction of on-street parking charges would only deprive the town further of successful business opportunities and increased footfall.

He added: “The project is seeking to find match funding, set up regeneration boards and have regeneration strategies to create and develop businesses.

“One of the programme’s main aims included in the policy is to create regeneration strategies for these deprived towns that support the independent traders, markets and events by accessing and drawing footfall through co-ordinated activities and stategies.

“I just want to point out that the same authority on one hand are asking to make money and by doing so restricting easy access to the town and on the other hand recognise it’s a deprived area and needs to support independent businesses.

“The on-street parking proposal is a direct contradiction of the rural towns regeneration project and should be withdrawn.”

Okehampton is the only town of all those set to see the installation of parking meters that is also named as one of the towns most in need of regeneration.

So far, the battle to halt the introduction of the parking meter has been fruitless. Despite a recent letter from the town council to DCC protesting the plan, the county council has failed to respond and remains determined to implement the proposal.

However, the town council has agreed to hold a public meeting for residents and visitors to voice their views and plans to invite the county council so that it can hear concerns first-hand.

The town council has also agreed to send DCC a copy of the results of a recent survey carried out by the town council to gauge public opinion on the proposed introduction of parking meters.

The results have revealed that the vast majority of residents, businesses and visitors are opposed to the idea.

Of 1,186 responses, 1,782 said they oppose the plan with over 1,000 saying that their use of the town centre would change if the parking meters were installed and would either visit the centre less frequently or not visit at all as a result.

If introduced, George Street, St James Street, Mill Road, Kempley Road and Park Row would see the introduction of a maximum one-hour-stay pay and display system between 10am and 5pm. Small sections of Kempley Road and Park Row would see a maximum one-hour-stay pay and display system between 9am and 6pm.

Tavistock is also facing the introduction of on-street parking charges.