A commercial company has shown keen interest in Liskeard, investing thousands of pounds so it can look at how developments can be taken forward in the town.

The developer has formed a partnership with Liskeard Town Council to seek development opportunities in the town and both have put in £3,000 to pay for a planning consultant to look into the matter.

Liskeard mayor Tony Powell said: 'I was approached by the company some six months ago and since then have held a number of meetings to look at development opportunities in Liskeard. We have agreed on a joint initiative to produce a master framework of development opportunities, to examine their implications and to assess how such opportunities could be taken forward and funded. Initially a planning consultant has been commissioned at £6,500 to undertake this work.'

At a meeting of Liskeard Town Forum on Wednesday evening, members voted in favour of joining the partnership by paying the remaining £500 for the project. Speaking at the meeting, forum member Nick Mallard confirmed there was a commercial company prepared to put in thousands of pounds, seeking to do possible development in the town from which he said there would be a 'fairly significant community benefit'.

Forum member Bruce Hawken said: 'The forum buying into it for a very small amount of money means we will have some influence on input to the study and some ownership of the project.'

It is hoped the report from the planning consultant will be forthcoming this side of Christmas. It will be subject to public consultation in due course.