Supermarket chain Tesco is set to build a new store in Kingsbridge despite fierce opposition from local residents and businesses.

The firm has been given the green light to build a 3,000 square metre food retail store at Cookworthy Road Car Park.

South Hams District Council planners approved detailed planning proposals on Wednesday 25 June.

But the approved plans do not include a tower lift link to Fore Street, which local residents and shops say is extremely important.

Campaigners have long protested against the new store, saying it would harm the character of the town and damage small businesses.

Kingsbridge district councillor Denise O'Callaghan expressed her dissatisfaction at the controversial plans.

"I do have considerable concern about this application. It is a concern shared by a lot of people," she said.

"This is a major store and could be the difference between small traders surviving in the town or disappearing, Tesco may suck the lifeblood out of the town centre."

Denise O'Callaghan, Kingsbridge district councillor: "This is a major store and could be the difference between small traders surviving in the town or disappearing, Tesco may suck the lifeblood out of the town centre."

At present the planning approval involves constructing a series of steps and ramps to get people from the store up the 30ft climb to the main Fore Street.

But local businesses fear that without the pedestrian link, shoppers will simply spend their money in Tesco and then go home.

Tesco, the UK's biggest supermarket chain, has agreed to carry on looking at the possibility of somehow incorporating a lift link between the store and Fore Street.

Devon County councillor Julian Brazil also attacked the store's design. "We will start looking like all those clone towns where you would not know whether you were in Norfolk or Devon. This is just a white box with signs on it," he said.

The development, which was given outline approval last May, will include car parking space for more than 370 vehicles.

Tesco, which accounts for nearly a third of the UK grocery market, claims the plan could create more than 140 jobs and help keep more people shopping in Kingsbridge.

"Previous experience suggests that the impact on the local economy will be positive," a Tesco spokesman said.

"It will have the effect of enabling Kingsbridge residents to carry out their main shopping without having to travel to other nearby towns, and it will attract residents in surrounding areas to come into Kingsbridge to shop.

"Both of these will benefit the Kingsbridge retail community."

Tesco expects to start work on the £9m store before the end of the year and have it completed and open by late 2009.

The company says the store design will offer environmentally friendly features such as photovoltaic energy sourcing, pollution control, waste minimisation, solar panels and rain-harvesting drains.