A NEW community centre has been likened to a barn or industrial unit.

Devon County Council’s development management committee gave the go-ahead last week for a new community centre as part of the South West Exeter development plan.

Cllr Su Aves told the meeting: ‘This is going to help people get to know each other.’

But not everybody was in favour, with Exminster Parish Council saying the new building was ‘barn-like’ and looked industrial.

A new community centre and GP surgery is planned for land south of Ellacott Road and adjacent to the new Matford Brook Academy.

Development around the site has been underway for more than two years, with many homes now occupied.

The meeting heard that apart from the parish council’s reservations about the design, no other objections have been received.

Cllr Philip Sanders was concerned there might not be enough car parking, but Cllr David Cox (Lib Dem, Teignmouth) said: ‘We’ve got to support this.’

The committee voted unanimously to approve the plan subject to a number of conditions.