Scores of new jobs could be coming to Kingsteignton after it was revealed that a giant empty retail building could soon be trading once more.

Up to 50 posts were lost last spring when Vergo Retail Ltd went into administration and with it came the closure of the town's Homemaker furnishing store in Greenhill Way.

Not long before that another company at the retail park, Richleys, had also ceased trading.

The Co-op travel agency has moved to Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot.

The land around the redundant structure has become an informal car park and is used by unregulated traders. The building itself has become scruffy and a magnet for illegal flyposting.

The site is owned by the Co-operative Group, which was granted planning permission almost three years ago to subdivide the store into four smaller units.

Now it has confirmed it has clients waiting to move in and said it wants to crack on.

First, it has to agree a change to the condition imposed by Teignbridge Council which relates to how staff will travel to the site.

Manchester-based planner Rebecca Mitchell has written to the authority's Carol Walters urging a swift resolution.

'As discussed, occupiers have been identified for all four units and work has subsequently commenced on the preparation of the finalised travel plan,' she wrote.

'It is hoped that the construction works will be completed in time for all units to be occupied in early autumn.

'However, given the need to produce a travel plan that addresses the specific requirements of the individual occupiers its preparation would result in a significant delay to the construction programme.'

Ms Mitchell said she hoped the council would allow building to begin while administrators worked on the document.

'We trust the application can be validated and proceed to determination at the earliest convenience,' she wrote.

Kingsteignton mayor Cllr Beryl Austen learned of the development from the Advertiser.

'That's wonderful news,' she said. 'The whole site has become so scruffy and it gives the area a bad image.

'People are often asking me when something is going to happen there.

'It's also very pleasing to think that we could soon have some new jobs in the town to replace those we lost last year.'

The Co-op is remaining tight-lipped about which businesses have agreed to take the new shop units.