The controversial plan to build an Aldi in Leonards Road in Ivybridge was unanimously refused last year when South Hams District Council’s planning committee turned down the proposal to build the discount supermarket in the centre of the town. The plans had been supported by council officers and recommended for approval, but were rejected by councillors after protests and objections from local residents.

However, issues around the decision are still rumbling on up at the council headquarters in Follaton House. The council had accepted a proposal by Cllr John Birch to set up a working group to look into the consultation process surrounding the failed project, which initially showed support for the development but at the planning stage attracted widespread opposition leading to it being scrapped. However, at a more recent meeting, Conservatives councillors called for the scrapping of the working group.

John Birch, a Liberal Democrat Councillor who sits on the South Hams Overview and Scrutiny Committee at South Hams District Council said:

“It appears the Conservative administration at SHDC does not want to face up to the fact that through its flawed consultation process it made an expensive blunder. Thus its move to scrap the working group.

The working group received evidence that shows there was a failure to provide the full facts during the consultation. Important matters such as the ripping up of a Devon Bank, reduction of long-term car parking and the closure of the town centre car parks during construction were not mentioned in the consultation documents.

When these omissions came to light support for the project withered away leading to it being scrapped at a cost to the council taxpayers of around £500,000. Money that could have been spent on worthwhile projects.”

The Conservative leader of South Hams District Council commented: ‘‘John Birch asked for a Task and Finish Group to be set up to look into this, but it wasn’t the main thrust of the task for the group. The group is sitting and envisages finishing its task soon, but probably not until after the elections now. The Working Group has most certainly not been scrapped, though it has proved difficult to find dates when the members can all attend. The primary purpose of the group was to examine the effectiveness of a Consultation Strategy, which had been brought forward by the Overview and Scrutiny group and subsequently approved.

The examination of the Aldi project consultation was appended to this project by Cllr Birch, even though it had taken place some time before the Consultation Strategy was even brought before the O&S committee and therefore was not in force at the time of that consultation.’’