The site of a new business park that would have been built in Sidford has been put up for sale for £4 million.

The Sidford Business Park development was approved on appeal by the government's Planning Inspectorate in August 2019 after being rejected by East Devon District Council's planning committee.

The council had previously refused an outline application for the business park over fears of danger due to increased HGV traffic through Sidbury and Sidford, and concerns about visual impact in an AONB area.

Cllr Stuart Hughes (Conservative, Sidmouth Sidford) described the Planning Inspectorate's 2019 decision as "basically a two fingers up to the Sid Valley".

But the government agency pointed to the 250 new jobs expected to be created as one of its reasons for approval.

The land Sidford Business Park would have been built on (Daniel Clark/LDRS)

Now, the owner is reportedly going to focus on his other site instead, Alexandria Industrial Estate, using the money from the sale of the Sidford Business Park site to "assist employment investment" there.

The site's estate agency listing reads: "The owner of the site is a fourth-generation employment land owner of another employment site in Sidmouth.

"This other site, known as the Alexandria Industrial Estate, is now determined by the owner to be the best location for further employment investment. The proceeds from the sale of land at Sidford will assist employment investment in this alternative location.

"Consequently, the land at Sidford is now offered as an exciting opportunity to an investor who can quickly engage with the local plan review by making appropriate representations/ consultation responses and separately make an application."

Click here to see the listing.