Plans for a new Tesco supermarket have been met with mixed reactions.

The store, which could bring around 200 jobs to Callington, will be roughly twice the size of the town's Co-op supermarket.

If given the go ahead, developers hope that the shop will be open to the public by August 2009.

Members of the public are invited to view the plans at an exhibition next month.

Planning permission for a petrol station, on the site at Tavistock Road, is being sought and will be the only one in the town following the closure of Pengelly Garage in June.

Speaking at the town council on Tuesday, councillor Chris Thomas backed the proposal. 'Other supermarkets in other towns have revitalised their areas,' he said. 'I asked Tesco if they have proof that it does good to the shops and they said it will revitalise the town.'

Cllr Andrew Long was keen to add that the plans are at an early stage.

'The application has not been passed. It is a proposal that has been put forward by the developers and the supermarket. It is very early at the moment.

'We have only seen the outline of the plans for seven days and we have to be prudent and wait for the public consultation. It is not yet set in stone, it is merely out in the public domain.'

However, cllr Roger Ellard voiced his concern that a new supermarket would have a negative impact on the town: 'If they (Tesco) can lay their hands on any business then they will take it,' he said.

'Sadly it can only take other trade away from Callington.'

Tesco say that a new store would keep trade within Callington and encourage more people to shop in the town centre to buy other goods.

A spokesperson for Tesco said: 'Currently people who live in and around the town travel to other areas such as Launceston and Plymouth to do their food shopping.

'Having a food store in Callington will mean people are more likely to stay and spend money locally.'

The exhibition will be held on Thursday, September 11 and Friday, September 12.

Sam Landrigan