THERE was a warning that there was the potential for criminals intent on robbery, with no secure delivery areas planned if the main post office moved to Costcutter. Police Inspector Andy Dower, objecting, said there had been liaison on security with the Post Office, who envisaged two collections/deliveries a day. 'I consider that security vehicles should be able to park in close proximity to the shop to minimise the distance that security staff walk from their vehicles to the building. 'This will reduce the danger time that they may face from any potential criminals intent on committing robbery. 'Unfortunately, south Devon has recently experienced a number of security guard robberies, with 10 committed in Devon and Cornwall in the last year, the nearest at Kingsteignton,' he said. Insp Dower turned his attention to congestion, saying the development would bring increased problems to Queen Street. On-street parking and goods vehicle deliveries would regularly preclude security vehicles from parking near Costcutter, without causing an obstruction. He pointed out that in the past 12 months, 146 police parking tickets had been issued in Queen Street and 99 tickets issued by Devon County Council. There were no firm plans or agreements with Costcutter, or the Post Office, to providing any designated loading bays. Resident Jack Kelly said it appeared the issue of the post office was a large elephant in a busy room and everyone was trying to ignore its presence. Mr Kelly maintained it was an issue and asked that it should be looked at from a different perspective. 'Let us suppose the post office was already in Costcutter and if it was to move to the Market Square I think everyone would be wholly in favour,' he said. Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross, who said he had some knowledge of Queen Street as his constituency office was there, claimed that with the closure of the Queen Street and Decoy post offices, and the moving of the main post office to Costcutter, it would create substantially more than a 50 per cent increase in foot traffic as claimed by the appellant. 'Anyone who used the existing main post office knows that it is so full at times that people queue out into the street. 'The pavement in Queen Street is just over two metres wide in places. That would be accepted as minimum width, but that two metres is a maximum width. 'There are obstructions such as car wing mirrors, parking meters, lampposts, litter bins and parking signs,' said Mr Younger-Ross, who added it was particularly difficult for the disabled and he questioned whether there might be disabled discrimination. The district authority's area planning officer, Carol Walter, said there were 13 letters and a 56-signature petition objecting to the proposal, with one letter of support. She said the present use of the front of Costcutter had given rise to difficulties in Lemon Road and Queen Street with the pattern of servicing of the supermarket and she had photographs to show vehicles parked there. Often delivery vehicles parked on double yellow lines, and Miss Walter believed it would lead to an increase in illegal parking. The car park at Osborne Street was 200-400m from the site and Cricketfield Road 100-250m, with a narrow footpath on the western side in Lemon Road on average 1.37m wide, with the eastern side 0.9m. She admitted that, as case officer, it had been her recommendation that it should be approved, though it had gone to other senior officers. The reasons for refusal related purely to highways though the county highways officer had not objected. For the town council, Roger Beare, who has 40 years' experience in highway planning liaison work, said a main post office at Costcutter would lead to people seeking short-term parking and those that could not find a legal parking space would park indiscriminately. With traffic flows there was barely time for able-bodied pedestrians to cross Queen Street. An anticipated 50 per cent increase in footfall and extra delivery vehicles would bring increased safety hazards. The mayor, Cllr Daphne Watts, also submitted photographs of delivery vehicles in Lemon Road. Cllr Shirley Maddicott, Margaret Reynolds and Myra Vaughan all objected, saying that for the disabled it would be particularly difficult getting along Queen Street and Lemon Road. Asking the inspector to refuse the appeal, Teignbridge Council solicitor Simon Barnes maintained the proposal would exacerbate the highway dangers for pedestrians and motorists in Queen Street. 'No condition can be imposed to reduce the impact. No unilateral undertaking has been offered about loading and unloading. The assurances given by Costcutter and the Post Office are not material considerations,' he said.
