A successful abattoir business in Ashburton is seeking plans to expand even further than it had originally planned after demand soared for its services. Gages Farm, Buckfastleigh Road, serves a number of Dartmoor and south Devon farms and directly supports at least 17 jobs. It was given permission to develop its operation in April by planners at Dartmoor National Park Authority. Commenting at the time on the application to increase the size of the processing areas and erect a new storage building, chairman of the committee, Nigel Hoskin, said: 'It's very much in line with what we're all about.' But just eight months later the business, run by Tom and Henry Lang, has submitted another planning application which, if approved in the new year, would increase its capacity by a further 50 per cent. 'Business has been very good lately and there is now a constant backlog,' said Christopher Stacey, architect and agent for the project. 'A lot of the increase is down to the new rules and regulations which are so strict nowadays and yet Gages Farm is able to provide modern, up-to-date facilities. 'Demand has really picked up, particularly as this is the only abattoir that really serves the south Devon area. What we had anticipated would be enough space simply isn't.' The increased demand for local produce has been been clearly manifested this year with the launch of South Devon and Dartmoor Food and Drink Its chairman, Ron Barter, is an engineer-turned-Teign Valley beef farmer. He said the growing interest was important for several reasons. 'The environment is one, fewer food miles for example, the quality of our food is another, knowing where it's come from and how it's been treated,' he said. 'You are what you eat, you are what you drink and I think it's important that people have the knowledge.'