Page 3 - OBID Business Plan 2024

Our Vision

Okehampton is very well placed on the A30 towards the northern edge of Dartmoor. It boasts many qualities that
include a bustling high street, a great range of independent shops, along with three well stocked supermarkets. For
those leisure days, there is an impressive Norman castle nearby, The Museum of Dartmoor Life, a cinema and the
very attractive Simmons Park and Parklands Leisure Centre along with an excellent range of cafes, bars, pubs and
restaurants to tease the tastebuds. And don’t forget the delights of Dartmoor on the doorstep for walking and cycling
enthusiasts too! For the business community, there is a diverse range of manufacturing, industrial and service providers
in the local business parks, so this town really has it all.

The area to the east of the town centre has undergone significant recent residential development along with new
business parks and a much anticipated second Okehampton rail station due to complete in 2025. This along with the
successful reopening of Okehampton station in November 2021 has brought increased footfall, meaning, the town is
rapidly growing and increasing in vibrancy. The time is right for the business community to come together to make sure
these qualities are harnessed and nurtured to continue to support the town’s economy.

The town has a lot of community projects that deliver websites, community hubs, events and Christmas lights. A
Business Improvement District (BID) will build upon all this great work and deliver projects that will further market and
promote the town to residents and visitors. The BID will also support the town’s businesses and foster collaboration
between them and the local community. It will work together with the local authorities to tackle some of the challenges
posed by the town’s growth such as traffic congestion, parking and helping people visit and move around more easily
and sustainably.

The BID will therefore contribute to bringing the business and wider community together, support the high street and
other businesses within the BID area, contribute to business growth and job creation while enhancing Okehampton as a
place to live work and visit.

Over 18 months of research and consultation has gone into this process and the above project themes have come out
of this, this document provides much more detail on this and if you wish to unlock £650,000 of investment into the
town over the next 5 years then please vote yes in the BID Ballot from Friday 21 June until Thursday 18 July.

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