AXMINSTER Carpets have won planning permission for a factory shop at Abbey Gate despite road safety fears.

The store at the former Chaffey's removals depot will give the company the opportunity to maximise sales of seconds and end of line products, members of the district council's rural area planning committee heard this week.

The company, which employs over 400, stressed that the carpet making business had gone through hard times in recent years and sales had reduced.

Its consultants reported that: "It is therefore very important that new ventures which create wealth are implemented. It is extremely important that the opportunity is given for this factory shop outlet at Abbey Gate."

But the committee was told that Axminster Town Council opposed the plan because it felt it would create serious traffic hazards on the A358 Axminster to Musbury road.

And the highway authority said it would only remove its objections if the carpet factory paid for a traffic order for a 40mph limit in the area.

The committee agreed that the scheme was only acceptable providing traffic speeds in the area were reduced. And it approved the plan subject to a satisfactory legal agreement in respect of the creation of such an order reducing speeds to an appropriate level - hopefully even less than the 40mph recommended by the highways authority.