The Webster's Garage car park in Axminster will be reopened and managed by East Devon District Council.

The town centre car park had been run by private operator National Car Parks, but the owners recently decided to end the arrangement, leading to the car park's closure.

Owners Hallmark Estates (Devon) has asked the district council to take over the car park while it waits for planning permission to redevelop the site.

East Devon District Council will enter into a temporary, one-year extendable contract to manage the car park in the hope that reopening it will help boost the town's economy.

The council predicts it will run the facility for the next 18 months, the length of time left of temporary planning permission for the land to be used as a car park.

Councillor Tom Wright (Conservative, Budleigh and Raleigh) welcomed the plan as he said "Axminster didn't seem very much alive" when he recently visited.

He hopes it will encourage people to come back to the town, adding: "Axminster needs all the help it can get."

The revenue from parking will be returned to the owner but the council will recover running costs.

An EDDC report said it was important for the town that the car park reopens as soon as possible in order to "visually convey the message that Axminster is open for business and, of course, to offer increased parking availability in the run up to Christmas".