MID DEVON District Council has voted to allocate land at J27 of the M5 for leisure, tourism and retail use.
The Eden Westwood project has been in the works for sometime as creators hope to make it a top destination in Devon.
The meeting was packed out as the councillors decided after much debate, including an hour of public questions, that they would vote 27-10 in favour of allocating the land and carrying out the necessary public consultation before submitting the local plan to government in March.
Leader of the council, Clive Eginton, said: "This is a significant decision for the council and for the future of Mid Devon.
"I am delighted that the council has chosen to positively seek development at this location for a range of uses that have the potential to transform our tourism and leisure offering and make a statement about Mid Devon’s ambitions for the future.
"I now look forward to finalising our plan and meeting the government’s deadline for plan submission."
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