A PLAN, supported by a local petition of 500 signatures, will see the Tarka Trail cycle route extended from Meeth to Hatherleigh – but only if it doesn’t go through ancient woodland.

Devon County Council’s development management committee has narrowly voted to grant permission for an off-road route that will extend the cycle route from the end of the Tarka Trail near Meeth to Made-Well at West Fishleigh Farm where there is a café open to the public.

It will then continue south to Hatherleigh.

But the planning permission is conditional on independent confirmation that Parker’s Copse, which the route runs through, is identified as ‘priority habitat’ rather than ancient woodland.

If an independent expert confirms it is ancient woodland, then the application will have to come back to the committee for further consideration.

The committee on Wednesday last week heard from local councillors that the community backed the plan.

Cllr Patrick Kimber, who represents Hatherleigh on West Devon Borough Council, asked the committee to approve the application.

‘For almost 30 years the council has been trying to connect the Tarka Trail to Hatherleigh and there will be social and economic benefit of connecting the trail to our market town,’ he said. ‘This will be good for everyone’s well-being and encourage people to enjoy the beautiful countryside and keep people active and will allow for people to leave their cars at home and cycle instead. It will reduce isolation for communities by linking Hatherleigh to the surrounding villages and it will increase tourism and get more people to visit our local shops and pubs. This cyclepath will be a wonderful asset for the community and I ask you to approve the application.’

Mike Deaton, principal planning officer, told the committee that initial proposals would have seen the route follow the old dismantled railway line between Meeth and Hatherleigh, but due to difficulties in securing the land, that route was no longer being taken forward.

Cllr Kimber said that the new route was more direct and avoided two crossings of the A386, adding: ‘Meeth is still connected by the trail, the landlord of the pub supports this route and I have a petition of 500 signatures in support of this.’

Concerns were raised about the route necessitating the felling of 61 trees in Parker’s Copse. However the meeting was told that no other route was possible.

A vote ended in a six each tie and Cllr Jerry Brook, chairman of the committee, used his casting vote to reject the amended recommendation.

He then proposed that the application be approved, subject to confirmation that the trees in question were not ancient woodland, saying: ‘There is a serious challenge if this network has to consider an alternative route. The topography is that it has to take this line to make it accessible by all users.’

Cllr Jeremy Yabsley added: ‘We have been here before struggling to find a route for this path and concerned we have not managed to progress. Going through woodland would provide a unique experience and I would not consider that this is ancient woodland. I think we need to progress the trail.’

Cllr Richard Hosking said: ‘It has been 30 years trying to get this installed and unless there are really strong reasons not to proceed, it would be shame not to.’

Councillors then voted by eight votes to four to approve the construction of the cycle trail.