A REDEVELOPMENT proposal for the old woollen mill site in North Tawton could well be given the thumbs down when West Devon Borough Council planning and licensing committee meets next Tuesday (April 26).

The redevelopment proposes the erection of 40 new residential units and the conversion of three buildings to provide an additional 19 residential units and a community building.

The assessment carried out by West Devon planning officers states: 'This is an important and challenging allocated site which officers would support coming to fruition, but not at any cost.

'This scheme, although it would secure a use for the Listed building and some of the adjacent buildings, leaves much of the detail of conversion/restoration uncertain.

'The "cost" of the new-build is not considered to outweigh the "benefit" of securing a use for the Listed building.'

The development was intended to bring North Tawton more affordable housing, but the assessment questioned the viability of this in the current economic climate: 'Factors such as flooding, costs of conversion of the heritage buildings, mitigation of contamination etc all add to the cost of developing this site.'

The council has received nine letters of objection from local residents. Issues raised include changes to the Listed building, concerns about the impact on the local school and increased traffic.

North Tawton Town Council supports the application, even though members also had concerns about the adverse effects on traffic and parking within the town.

With regards to road changes, the assessment says: 'The proposal, by reason of its over-engineered road, road location, layout, land raising and new building design, would have a significant detrimental effect upon the landscape around, and thus the setting of this listed building, particularly from public viewpoints such as adjacent footpaths and the Tarka Trail.'

One of the other key concerns is that the proposal's planned demolition of on-site structures is 'not considered to have sensitively responded to the heritage assets of the site'.

Devon County Council's archaeological service said: 'The mill is a gateway structure, contributing to North Tawton's character and sense of place — having been a major feature in the local landscape and townscape for several centuries.

'We would recommend that proposals are explored further to maximise preservation of architectural and industrial features.'

Conservation officer Graham Lawrence strongly recommends refusal.

In the report to the planning committee, he listed the 'demolition of heritage assets', 'harm to character of the principal listed building', and the 'harm to setting of the listed building' among his reasons for refusal.

Questions over the flood defences for the site were raised by the Environment Agency. The agency thinks the designs 'do not eliminate all flood risk to the old mill buildings, and there remains a risk of the defence being overtopped by a larger storm event than it is designed for'.

Councillors will make their decision on Tuesday morning.