TEIGNBRIDGE Council has been accused of maladministration after allegedly altering the conditions on a planning application after it was approved by councillors.

Solicitors acting for engineering firm Diamond Properties Ltd of Linhay Park, Ashburton, have given the council until today to issue the correct approval or they will take their complaint to the local government ombudsman.

Jonathan Greenwood, owner of Diamond Properties Ltd, says the council's action has put his £2.5m-3m expansion at risk. His bank has refused to go ahead with the loan and he is left paying £1,000 interest a week on the new premises.

After three pre-application meetings, a site visit and three development control committee meetings, the plan to relocate to Caton Quarry was approved unanimously on October 27.

But Mr Greenwood says the council refuses to issue the correct approval notice and he has been told that if he reapplies, his application could be refused.

He said that the multi-million pound investment would benefit the local economy as well as providing ten to 15 new jobs.

'To have gone through the democratic process, to have got approval and still not to get it feels like a bad dream,' said Mr Greenwood.

The application was for three uses: office use, light industrial use and general industrial. So far he has received three different approval notices. The latest one gives permission for light industrial and research and development – something they never asked for.

Local councillors John Nutley, Paul Parker and Jeremy Christophers have vigorously supported his case. Despite this and the threat of legal action, Mr Greenwood claims that planning director Steve Robinson refuses to budge.

'He simply won't change it even though it has been passed by the council, so unfortunately we are going to have to go to the local government ombudsman.'

A Teignbridge Council spokesman said that although the applicant had ticked the correct boxes to indicate which uses he wanted, there was no reference to them in either the descriptive part of the application or in pre-application talks.

'The officer missed that and members didn't realise they were voting for office use and general industrial use,' he said.

'I can confirm that an office development with general industrial use outside of an urban centre is contrary to both local and national planning policy, and may therefore be more likely to be recommended for refusal.'

The council has told Mr Greenwood that legally they cannot alter the approval and that he will have to reapply. They have agreed to waive fees and fast-track it through the system.

Mr Greenwood has dismissed this explanation as 'incredible'.

'I find it incredible that somebody has missed that. We have ticked the boxes, surely that is the first thing the planning officer would look at.

'There is no chance that we would reapply. They have told me they would recommend refusal.

'In my opinion the senior executives aren't up to the job. If they were in the private sector, I don't think they would find jobs very easily. You cannot make mistakes like this and simply get away with it.

'Maybe Mr Robinson would do the honourable thing and resign if the ombudsman finds fault on behalf of the council.'

Diamond Properties Ltd makes precision engineering tools for the aerospace industry and employs 25 people. While many companies are struggling, the collapse in the exchange rates has worked to Diamond Properties' advantage.

Ward councillor Jeremy Christophers is spitting feathers at this latest example of muddle in the planning department.

'It undermines local democracy to have our decisions altered after they have been through committee.

'This is just the kind of business the council should be encouraging. It feels as if he has been very sorely done by. Another episode of poor handling from Teignbridge Council.'

Cllr John Nutley said: 'I am not happy the decision was changed afterwards, I don't think the application was presented fully or correctly.

'We need and want employment in this area. We don't want them to leave and maybe go to America where they have other businesses.'