A dream checklist, to give would-be businesses 20 good reasons for relocating to Dartmouth, has been drawn up by deputy mayor Dave Cawley.

The town is currently agonising over how it can find much-needed jobs to go with the 400 new homes to be built on the edge of the town in the next 15 years.

More than 11 acres of the land is earmarked in the £80m development masterplan for employment use – but so far no one knows what kind of work units they should be, who will build them and just how the town should find people to move into them.

Cllr Cawley is warning that unless firms can be attracted to the town, it will end up with 11 acres of fields rather than employment complexes.

Now he has come up with 20 dream questions to ask businesses.

1. Would they like to relocate to where it is always two degrees warmer?

2. Where there are 14 bars and restaurants of all sorts?

3. Where it is in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty?

4. Where it is on a Heritage Coast path?

5. Where fabulous beaches are close by?

6. Where there is a great lifestyle?

7. Where there are good and fast links to London by train?

8. Where big shopping centres and theatres are only 40 minutes away?

9. Where you can mosey up a beautiful river and picnic with your family?

10. Where you can go out to sea and catch your own supper?

11. Where your boat is within a short walk and moored at a reasonable price?

12. Where you can buy a house the size of your own in Cambridge for the same money?

13. Where soon there will be affordable housing for workers?

14. Where there is daily connectivity with the rest of the world by Federal Express, two days to the USA and three days to anywhere else?

15. Where there has been broadband since its inception?

16. Where you will find like-minded people?

17. Where your friends will want to come and visit and stay with you?

18. Where every week something great happens?

19. Where you can go cycling on a moor in 30 minutes?

20. Where you will want to stay forever?

'When you tell them it is Dartmouth, they don't believe it,' he said. 'I am talking about the Cambridge Business Park but it could be Swindon, Oxford, Newport or anywhere.

'House prices in Cambridge are similar to here and people could easily move here and they would be very welcome if they did.'

He said people continually warn the road links to Dartmouth are not good enough but he pointed out there are at last half a dozen businesses in the town routinely shipping products around the world.

'They don't have to be hi-tech or knowledge based. It would invigorate Dartmouth, bring in younger families and provide employment.'