A VILLAGE is set to get a new permanent shop after plans were approved by Cornwall Council.

In St Neot, the pavilion building at the park will be extended to create space not only for a shop, but also for a tea room and kitchen to be used by the community.

A proactive group of local people, with the support of the parish council, sprang into action as soon as the owner of the previous shop announced his retirement in 2022.

In August of last year, a temporary shop on a 12-month lease was opened at Cott’s Yard, employing four people from the local area.

Now, the green light has been given to double the size of the existing pavilion with an extension of around 70 square metres.

The building project is set to cost in the region of £140,000.

The extension will feature grey cedral cladding, natural slate roof and while PVCu doors and windows to match the existing building and other nearby properties.

Steering group member Derek Fairhall said that the group was delighted to be heading into the project with the Lapthornes, who “have been doing a fantastic job of running the temporary shop at Cott’s Yard”.

The new pavilion extension will present an exciting chance to create a real multi-purpose hub for the village, said Mr Fairhall, making the best use of the facilities for as many groups as possible.

“We were very pleased that the planning approval was given and we’re ready now for the next phase, which is the fundraising,” he said.

“We had everything ready so that as soon as we knew we’d got approval, on the same day, the funding application process could commence. An expression of interest has been made to one of the levelling-up funding streams.

“If funding comes on, then we’re looking towards the likelihood of work starting on the site in the spring.”