A MEMBER of Okehampton Community First, an offshoot of the chamber of trade, has criticised a petition in support of retail giant Tesco's intentions to build a store in Okehampton.

Paul Wilson has challenged the size of the petition currently being circulated around Okehampton in support of a the store.

Last year, Okehampton Community First conducted its own survey asking residents of Okehampton for their thoughts on to whether the town needs a new supermarket.

Mr?Wilson said:?'Okehampton Community First has conducted a survey where we have over 800 considered, authenticated replies with a huge majority against the arrival of Tesco in the town.

'Okehampton Community First would wish to challenge the size and credibility of the pro-Tesco petition.

'It is now well established that large stores on the edge of town spell shrinking trade and a reduction in activity in the town centre.

'There is an alternative. It's local, small and sustainable and if enough of us follow this path nationally it could mean cheap good sustainable food for everyone.

'There's a long way to go, but all the national and local plans point this way forward.'

Darren Bostock, of Bostock Garden Centre and Okehampton Cycles, who has been involved with the petition in support, said: 'I would like to point out that the proposed new store is very much "in town" and within comfortable level walking distance of the town centre.

'People park in our car park and walk to other shops all the time.

'Okehampton Community First are welcome to verify our independent petition in favour of the Tesco application anytime.

'I'm amazed they have generated as many responses to a survey on this as they claim. West Devon Borough Council with all their resources could only get 140 responses to the shopping survey they carried out in the borough.'

Simon Tremlett set up a Facebook page in support of the impending Tesco application. It currently has more than 900 members.

He said: 'Our Facebook group was orginally set up because we felt we wanted to gauge as many views as possible from the entire community as a lot of anti-Tesco feedback seemed to be receiving more publicity than those who were in favour, and we found this hard to believe considering the number of young families and factory closures in the town.

'We also added a petition to our campaign in which we initially tried door to door but found meeting the general public in town much more effective. We have had some amazing and supportive comments about the need for a Tesco in Okehampton and the very few people who said no have said that they had not heard about the Tesco application.'

Mr Wilson criticised the timing of Tesco's announcement that it intends to apply for planning permission by the end of February.

He said: 'In a week which by all other accounts has been the very worst for the big supermarkets for many years — food chains, profits versus care and quality, and many calling for a review of how the food chains are regulated and managed — Tesco have decided to announce their planning bid to the council.

'This shows a level of either desperation or ineptness we have not been accustomed to from such a normally smooth operator.

'The Tesco application is out of step with national and local planning initiatives; the National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF), the Portas Report and the West Devon Borough Council retail survey to name but three.

'All of these focus on the negative effects of large supermarkets outside a designated retail area.'