AMBITIOUS plans for a multi-million pound revamp of an Exmoor livestock market have courted controversy just days after being lodged with Exmoor National Park Authority. Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auctions Ltd wants to redevelop the existing Cutcombe market site to create modern up-to-date facilities, new employment land and 17 new homes, 11 of which would be local needs affordable units. The remaining six homes would be for sale on the open market which has put the development on a collision course with newly adopted housing policies which stipulate all new homes in the national park must be affordable and meet a local need. However, a housing needs survey conducted earlier this year has highlighted the lack of affordable housing in the area and shown apparently overwhelming support for the proposals to provide an element of affordable housing. But the Exmoor Trust said it had doubts about the application, which looks set to become a test case for the park authority's new policies. Trust chairman Edwin Beckett said: "This is the first significant housing development within the area covered by the new Exmoor National Park Local Plan and will be a litmus test of how serious the authority is about constraining open market housing and implementing policies to favour local people wanting affordable homes. "The Exmoor Trust has consistently supported the need to help local people penetrate the housing market both in innovation in design and build as well as schemes to assist in mortgaging or sharing equity. "As the proposals stand at present we consider they are beyond the policies of the Government and the authority." A detailed statement accompanies the application on behalf of Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auctions Ltd, a company which was set up by 180 farmers in 1997 and boasted a turnover in excess of £5.5 million during the last year at Cutcombe and the neighbouring market at Blackmoor Gate. It acknowledges the potential conflict with national park policy, but stresses the mix of affordable and open market housing is vital to the success of the project. It said: "Cutcombe Market needs a new modern facility to be able to continue to provide the support to the agricultural industry on Exmoor and beyond into the foreseeable future. "We believe that this achievable by developing part of the market site that currently houses the cattle penning area and relocating the livestock market onto what is currently the sheep sale area. "This could be achieved by moving the sale ring and the office building together with dual purpose penning to allow both cattle and sheep to be handled. "We have been looking at the various options for many months now and have decided that the only way forward is to sell part of the market site for commercial and residential development to allow us to upgrade the market on the sheep penning area. "The Exmoor national park policy requires affordable housing provision which affects the achievable capital that we can raise from proposed sales and, therefore, we are considering a mixture of affordable local housing, commercial land and open market housing." It is argued that the development will protect existing jobs, create new employment and bring new families into the area, therefore boosting the local economy and safeguarding facilities, including the local school. The statement said it was hoped the national park would grant the application in light of the "exceptional circumstances" as the loss of the market would have serious ramifications for communities across Exmoor. It sated: "Due to more stringent operating procedures it will be necessary to construct a new market building to meet the standard of today and tomorrow. "This can only be achieved by the revenue generated from the sale of the land for housing and business/commercial use." Although only an outline application, the proposals show a mix of small terraced cottages fronting the B3224 with larger semi-detached and detached homes set within the site on the village side. The architects have pledged to use local materials in the houses and believe the design would "reflect the local character and distinctiveness of Wheddon Cross and Exmoor". The new market would be located "as far away from existing residential units as possible", with pens screened by the proposed new market building. Access on market days would be via the existing access in the western corner of the site, together with a new access off the main B3224 which would only be for business and market use. No details have yet been submitted about plans for business and commercial units other than earmarking land alongside existing commercial premises in Wheddon Cross for the venture. The application also seeks permission to convert an existing office building into a private home. A spokesman for the national park authority said officers were keen to hear people's views on the proposals. She said: "This is obviously a major planning application in terms of both Cutcombe and Exmoor and we would welcome the public to comment on the proposals that have been submitted. "All the representations will then be taken into account before the national park authority planning committee consider the proposals at a future meeting in the coming months." Copies of the application can be viewed at the authority's offices at Exmoor House, Dulverton or by appointment at West Somerset District Council's offices in Williton between 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 3.30pm Friday. However, district council planning officers will not be able to offer any advice on the plans as they come solely under the jurisdiction of the park authority. l Mr Beckett will be meeting Elinor Goodman, the chairman of a new Government-led affordable rural housing commission, on August 30 to outline the charity's proposals to provide affordable housing in rural areas.