The sites at the Livestock Market, Kingsley Road, The Pill, Bridge Street and Brunswick and Clarence Wharves were earmarked to kick start the regeneration process in the town following a local masterplanning and consultation process last year.

The next phase of work - to be jointly funded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), Torridge District Council, Devon County Council and Bideford Town Council - will involve detailed surveys of each site and a full a commercial analysis on how the regeneration schemes will maximise the economic benefit for Bideford and the wider region.

Proposals will be put forward for the use for each site and the likely cost of development. Outline plans will be produced to indicate how each of the sites might look and studies will be carried out into site infrastructure, utilities and road and public transport links.