Teingbridge Council’s senior committee is being recommended to adopt a report which recommends developing 136 acres (55 ha) for new factories and warehouses.

Up to 75 acres (30 ha) would be located in Newton Abbot and the rest distributed elsewhere in Teignbridge.

Sites recommended include 15 acres (5.98 ha) in Long Lane, Milber and 7.4 acres on land owned by WBB Minerals within the Newton Abbot area.

A further 6.7 acres (2.71 ha) are earmarked next to BCT at Heathfield and another 11 acres (3.21 ha) at two sites in Chudleigh and Bovey Tracey.

On January 6 the executive will vote on a report prepared by consultants Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners in which states: ‘It is considered that all of the proposed sites are deliverable and that they cumulatively provide an important opportunity for sustained and sustainable economic growth within the district.’

If approved the report will help prepare the details of the Local Development Framework, proposed development sites for which had been due for discussion at the January 6 meeting until the government intervened.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has instructed Teignbridge to simplify its list of ‘preferred options’, resulting in a delay of two months.

The councillor responsible for the list, Cllr Brian Berman, has warned that developers could take advantage of a ‘woolly’ and less detailed list.

Last month councillors clashed over a planning application by Heathfield firm Prestige Furniture whose store is located on employment land.

Owner Rob Ash wanted to expand the proportion of the store given over to retail to 30 per cent, contrary to Teignbridge policy.

Leader Cllr Alan Connett warned that such a move would risk such sites becoming out of town retail parks but Mr Ash responded by saying his store employed more people than nearby warehouses.

Mr Ash eventually won the day with councillors voting in his favour.