PLANS for a convenience store at a Kingsteignton pub will be decided by planning officers rather than elected representatives, Teignbridge District Council has confirmed, despite the application having previously been called in for consideration by its planning committee.

The council told the Mid-Devon Advertiser that new national planning legislation means the application, reference 26/00175/FUL, for a proposed store at the Ten Tors Inn, pictured, cannot be referred to committee, even though a request for it to be considered by elected members was submitted in time by Cllr Ron Peart.

Instead, the decision will be made by planning officers - expected by the end of November - under delegated powers, with Teignbridge Council warning that referring the application to committee would put the authority in breach of the legislation.

Submitted by Aspect Developments Ltd, the application is seeking permission to build a convenience store on land at the Ten Tors Inn, including part of the car park and one of the pub’s beer gardens.

Around 50 objections have been submitted against the proposal, including from Kingsteignton Town Council.

In its objection, the town council raised concerns about the potential impact on highway safety, residential amenity, biodiversity and accessibility, as well as the ‘continued community value of the existing public house’.

Objectors also questioned the need for another convenience store in the area, raising concerns about the additional traffic it could generate.

However, the planning statement submitted in support of the application argues there is an ‘under-provision’ of retail facilities in the immediate vicinity.

It states that, while Kingsteignton has a commercial area to the south, alongside a number of convenience stores elsewhere, there is currently no provision serving the population close to the application site.

In February, a spokesperson for the Co-op told the Mid-Devon Advertiser that, subject to planning approval, the supermarket would operate the store, saying it would create jobs.

St Austell Brewery, the freeholder of the site, previously said its focus was on ‘protecting the future of the pub and ensuring it continues to thrive at the heart of the community’.

In June, Cllr Peart requested the application be considered by Teignbridge’s planning committee, which is made up of elected councillors.

Planning documents subsequently confirmed that the request had been received within the required timeframe and stated that, if officers recommended for approval, it ‘will be considered by the planning committee’.

However, the introduction of new national planning rules means it will no longer.

A spokesperson for Teignbridge District Council told the Mid-Devon Advertiser : ‘We can confirm that planning application 26/00175/FUL will not be considered by the planning committee and will instead be determined by planning officers under delegated powers.

‘This is because new national planning legislation, known as the National Scheme of Delegation, came into force on October 31 and changed the way councils determine certain planning applications.

‘Under these new rules, an application of this nature cannot be referred to the planning committee.

‘Doing so would place Teignbridge District Council in breach of the legislation.

‘Planning officers will determine the application in accordance with the new legislation, taking into account all comments received, responses from statutory consultees and relevant planning policies.

‘When the new rules came into effect, no transitional arrangements were included to allow previously submitted committee referral requests to carry forward.

‘As a result, all applications must now be determined in line with the National Scheme of Delegation’.

Under the new rules, more planning applications will be decided by officers, while planning committees will focus on larger and more significant developments.

Councillors will no longer be able to refer planning applications to the committee for determination.

However, applications submitted by the council, or where councillors or officers have an interest, will still be considered by the committee.