Leading North Devon business St John's Garden Centre has finally been given the go-ahead to relocate to a larger site.
The business will move from Newport in Barnstaple to Roundswell in Barnstaple now that the plan has been approved by North Devon Council.

The new 6,500sq m garden centre development will feature some 2,000sq m of greenhouses, together with a restaurant, classroom space, an exhibition area, farmers' market and Jungleland attraction. Around 40 new jobs are expected to be created, adding to the existing workforce of 90. There will also be parking spaces for over 170 cars.

The granting of planning permission brings to an end a five-year battle by the three Oliver brothers who run St John's, Nick, Simon and Tom, to move to the larger site.

Set up in 1958, the business has been trading from its existing premises for over 50 years and has a large open-plan shopping centre, plant and tree area, under-cover plant area, restaurant, Jungleland and an off-site nursery where many of the plants are grown. There is also a landscaping division.

Along with garden and leisure products, the centre sells sheds, furniture, barbecues, clothes, homewares, gifts and seasonal items and has a comprehensive pet product department.

The vacated land will now be used for the development of affordable housing.