The businessman behind multi-million pound proposals to shift Newton Abbot's livestock market to Ilford Park has insisted the scheme is still viable despite threats to his business plan.

Bob Williams, chief executive of Bedfordshire firm Arnold White Estates (AWE), this week confirmed changes to his project which could transform the land near Drum Bridges and which once housed the wartime Polish refugee camp.

Stripped out from the wish list now is 10,000sq metres of warehousing at Gaverick Copse amid environmental concerns raised by English Nature.

The blow added further pressure to Mr Williams after the announcement last month by district auctioneers that they favoured a site on the outskirts of Ashburton for a new livestock market.

AWE had previously won permission for a motorway-style service complex at Ilford Park, but those proposals had to be abandoned when Mr Williams could not find sufficient financial backing.

He said the revised plans for Ilford Park, which still include a religious meeting house, pub, homes and offices, stacked up financially.

'Absolutely it's a goer,' he said.

'I won't comment on someone else's planning application, but speaking as the director of a cattle market myself in Thame, Oxfo­rdshire, I know that the natural place is where we want to put it.'

The application is likely to be considered by Teignbridge Council's planning committee in January.