Plans for a new supermarket in the heart of a moorside town have taken a big step forward.

South Hams District Council’s executive unanimously approved the principle of a supermarket within the council-owned Leonards Road and Glanvilles Mill car parks in Ivybridge.

Work will now start to develop a full business case before a final decision on the proposal is made.

Two national supermarket chains are looking for sites in the vicinity of Ivybridge, a report to the executive said, but did not name them.

However, just as it happened at a meeting in December to discuss the proposal, Aldi was named as one of the supermarkets by a councillor.

Back in December, the executive deferred approving a project to build a supermarket in Ivybridge as it required more information, particularly around car parking provision, after initial ideas were met with concern by some residents and the town council.

The proposals were temporarily paused while SHDC did some consulted residents and businesses to further explore how the concept could work.

But two proposals brought forward as options for how the supermarket could be built showed there would be 30-39 per cent increase in car parking provision in the town.

Cllr Michael Saltern, ward member for Ivybridge, said the new proposal was “100 times better” than the original proposal which was seriously flawed.

He said: “What we requested was consideration be given to the whole scenario, including parking difficulties in the town, and not just this single investment opportunity, and I am pleased that the message got through. There is still a long way to go with agreements with third parties, but if they can be achieved, and a solution to car parking found, it would be a good way forward.”

However, after the meeting Ivybridge town councillor Sylvia Rutley said the plans are “purely a money-making idea” and residents “are yet again being ridden over roughshod”.

Cllr Rutley said she accepted tparking was an issue in the town centre, and the “sensible” location for any other supermarket was the south side of the A38, where plenty of parking could be made available.

She said: “The land there is not suitable for housing, so employment land, a health centre and another supermarket would be ideally placed.

“An Aldi or Lidl would not help footfall into other shops, as customers would fill their trolleys with frozen foods then immediately return home.

“Having spoken to many other residents, I have yet to find anybody in favour of SHDC’s proposals and note that when they discuss Ivybridge, comments are made by councillors who live outside of Ivybridge and have no idea of how we feel in this town.

“The enhancement of the river is the only good thing in the plan but not putting two-story buildings close by.”

Cllr Rutley also said residents would like to see the youth venue returned and made less formal, with the hopes that more will use it for socialising, and that the skate park should stay central.

Cllr Keith Baldry told the executive he supported the recommendation, saying: “Ivybridge needs something to be done to improve it and the idea is the right thing to do.”

But he added: “It has a hinterland and if Ivybridge is to be successful, it has to attract from the hinterland.”

He praised the survey that had been carried out to establish why people who parked in the town were visiting, but said that the council needed some way to capture the thoughts of those who aren’t visiting the town for whatever reason.

Council leader Cllr John Tucker, said that the proposal would enhance the town centre, would employ between 30-35 people, and generate about 1,000 trips a day into the centre of Ivybridge.

Two potential options for how a new supermarket could be developed were outlined in a report to the executive which said that removing the access road and making alterations to the landscaping would see an increase in car parking.

Both options would see the provision of a 18,000sq ft store, a 5,000sq ft hospitality unit, the relocation of the skate park, police station, the playpark which would be improved, the scout hut, retain the toilets, youth centre and hairdresser building, and see an improved river public realm and more prominent access to the Leisure Centre entrance.

Option 1 would see an increase of 81 car parking spaces from the current 209 to a future 290, while Option 2 would see an increase of 63 spaces to a future 272, but would also include a 1,800sq ft drive-thru unit.

Cllr John Green said he was supportive of the approach but was concerned about the drive-thru. He said: “It won’t bring much economic benefit to the town.”

Cllr Michael Saltern said after the meeting: “I would make it clear that there is a long way to go before any final decision could be taken.

The executive unanimously approved the principle of a council supermarket development in the town centre car park and to support a bid to the Future High Street Fund for Ivybridge.