Members of Dartmoor National Park Authority have struggled to find valid reasons to resist plans for a retail and office complex on the outskirts of Ashburton.
Widespread opposition to the scheme, which will involve demolishing the 1970s police station in Eastern Road, has been voiced by residents and the town council.
Concerns include a loss of trade from the town centre and road safety fears.
But planning officers at the national park and economic experts at Teignbridge Council have said the land is set aside for employment use and that the store plan ticked all the right policy boxes.
The highways department at Devon County Council has said there are no safety grounds on which to refuse planning permission.
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