TAVISTOCK’S central car park could receive a major facelift to improve its functionality and public experience but at the loss of ten parking spaces.

Tavistock Town Council has submitted a plan to West Devon Borough Council that includes creating a new car parking layout at the guidhall car park and pedestrian routes, a formation of a central public lawn and the repositioning of the Grade II Listed Duke of Bedford statue.

The proposals for the regeneration of the site have been guided by the Tavistock Public Realm strategy document compiled in 2014 and adopted by Tavistock Town Council.

Currently the short stay car park provides 30 parking spaces, one motorcycle space and three disabled parking spaces. Under the new plan, the car spaces would be reduced to 19 and disabled spaces increased to four. Motorcycle bays would be unchanged.

The plans could also see the Listed Duke of Bedford statue, erected in 1864 by public subscription, moved in front of Court Gate, continuing to face directly up Plymouth Road.

Tavistock Town Council general manager Wayne Southall said: ‘The design follows discussions with the local planning authority and Historic England, together with public consultation previously undertaken as part of the Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme which is funding the works.

‘It will address concerns regarding the safety of the car park for pedestrian users as well as its failure to comply with modern car parking standards by providing 24 compliant parking places, including an extra bay for disabled use and improved pedestrian access and public space around the war memorial.’

These plans sit alongside the current Guildhall Gateway Centre Project work which started at the beginning of October to turn Tavistock’s Guildhall into a World Heritage Site Gateway Centre.

Restoration works by Tavistock-based firm RM Builders on behalf of Tavistock Town Council to the guildhall are moving forward — the scaffolding of the building is nearing completion to enable repair and replacement works to the roof and cleaning of the impressive granite and hurdwick stone walls has begun.

Working with archaeologists, excavation work to regularise floor levels is well advanced together with the creation of new openings to help the flow of visitors once the final use as a heritage centre is complete. The former courtroom is being restored to its original layout with the removal of the rooms at the rear and their replacement with an open area which will serve as a viewing platform for the courtroom as well as a usable area in its own right.

The £1.458-million works to the building are principally funded by Tavistock Town Council — £345,441 from reserves — and the National Lottery Heritage Fund — £613,254 — with generous support from other funders including the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site, the Hobson Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation — total £100,000. The council is also now applying for the final part of the funding package — a 25-year £400,000 loan on preferential rates from the Public Works Loan Board which it plans to draw down in January.

The cost of loan repayments — projected to be fixed at £22,405 per year — will be met from ongoing savings in council budgets. The largest saving has been achieved from a reduction in electricity costs after moving most larger council premises over to LED lighting — reducing both cost and carbon footprint. For more information about the project, its aims, funding and progress visit https://www.tavistock.gov.uk/your-council/council-initiatives/guildhall-project

• Copies of the plans for the regeneration of the guildhall car park are available for inspection on the West Devon Borough Council website.