PLANS for a £500,000 civic centre on the site of the Old Thatched Inn, Bovey Tracey, have moved forward after the Secretary of State agreed to de-list the crumbling structure.

The shell of the Grade II hostelry has stood virtually untouched since a blaze in July 2008 and was bought by the town council for almost £100,000 in 2011.

The decision drew criticism from some residents worried that councillors were using taxpayers' money to dabble in property development.