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A fan made prop from Star Wars, an eye-catching sight on the side of the A38, has been saved from destruction.

The replica AT-ST (All-Terrain Scout-Transport for nerds in the know) which battled the Ewoks in 1983 film Return of the Jedi, stands tall and proud off the busy county route near Ashburton like a full size McDonald's toy.

Today, it has been revealed that a delegated Teignbridge Council decision has granted the £12,000 'Chicken Walker' approval to remain exactly where it is.

It's a relief for fans of the quirky structure, which was under threat due to a lack of planning permission.

But the relief is strongest from Paul Parker, owner of the model.

He had to quickly submit a retrospective planning application, and rallied support from locals to get it through the authority's strict rules.

(Image: Steve Haywood)

On social media he thanked "everyone who helped and has given support."

Much like Han Solo in his Millennium Falcon space-ship, planning officers have come to the eleventh hour rescue and the structure to can stay put for the next 10 years.

The planning report states: “On balance, consideration has been given to the harm the structure presents in context with its benefits and community interest. It was also noted that the time of the site visit, that the structure was eroding with the appearance of rust.

What IS the Star Wars prop on the side of the A38? It appears to be a home made version of an All-Terrain Scout Transport (or AT-ST) known by a generation of science fiction fans as a 'chicken walker' or a 'scout walker.' It is a vehicle used by the dastardly Galactic Empire in the Star Wars saga, and the scout walkers are best-known for their demise at the paws of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi. It was first seen in The Empire Strikes, where it makes an appearance at the Battle of Hoth, and most recently cutesy droid BB-8 takes command of one in last year's The Last Jedi.

“Taking the scale into consideration, of which is not deemed to be excessive in context with its wider setting, and the benefits of local interest, which appears to be economic as evidenced within the letters of representation.

“There is a recommendation of approval subject to a temporary condition to ensure the structure is maintained is such a condition so not to result in safety concerns, or erode to such a degree that it is no longer a positive local feature.

“The applicant has advised the structure has a life span of 25-50 years; as no evidence has been submitted to support this claim, a 10 year period is deemed to be reasonable.

“The retention of the structure is considered to be acceptable, as is the use of the land for the tourist attraction.”

For its builder Dean Harvey, the now-famous model took 400 hours to make.

Watch Below: The six stages of a planning application

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The model is made of steel and was created by Mr Harvey for his daughters four years ago.

He made it as a den and slide, but as they have grown out of it, he loaned it to Mr Parker.

When he installed the AT-ST, Mr Parker, who runs a storage business and is a member of Ashburton Chamber of Trade, said: “About 99 per cent of the comments I’ve had have been positive.

“It’s a bit of fun. I wanted to do something that would create interest in Ashburton and maybe help get people to visit. It’s been a talking point since it has been up.”