Plans for the relocation of St John’s Garden Centre at Barnstaple to a new out of town green field site were approved by North Devon Council’s planning committee today.

Wholesale re-location of this kind is rare in the garden centre industry, the last example being Barton Grange, who moved their Preston centre five miles north to a state-of-the-art development at Brock in 2008.

The Oliver family, who own St John’s, have had to wait five years to bring their master plan to fruition on a new, larger site at Roundswell between Barnstaple and Bideford. The approved development is a 6,475 sq.m. complex with a retail garden centre, restaurant, classroom and exhibition space and a ‘farmers’ market’ area, with 173 car parking spaces. The popular Jungleland attraction will be included. The project could create another 40 jobs.

Planning approval was deferred while an environmental, highways issues and other legislative issues were resolved

Council planning officers had recommended approval subject to an agreement to contribute funding towards local infrastructure. They said the pressure on the green field site would be outweighed by extra employment and economic benefits.

They added that an agreed package of Devon County Council highway improvement works at nearby Roundswell roundabout will help to make the crossing of the A39 by pedestrians and cyclists an easier journey.