Plans to convert two barns in Otterton into a garage has been refused by East Devon District Council.  

An application to convert ‘two barns into an MOT testing centre with associated office and waiting room; new hard surface parking area, 2no. EV charging points, turning circle and sales vehicle parking on land at North Star Ottery Street Otterton.’ 

The proposal will also include a separate repair area for motorcycles, along with two electric vehicle charging points. These will be made available to the public during opening hours. The site is two redundant agricultural buildings near the new development, Rydon Orchard and has an existing access gate onto this recently adopted public highway which leads onto the well-established Ottery Street.  

The larger of the two barns were going to be turned into a MOT Testing Centre with the smaller of the two barns being the office space and the more recent brick building being used for a separate motorcycle repair area. 

 The existing area to the front of these buildings would be used for an on-site turning head and the selling of 3-4 cars, and will also look to utilise the large area to the north of these barns as parking facilities in association with the MOT testing centres. 

The application says that: “the proposal will be solely contained within the existing industrial buildings and does not look to increase their footprint to accommodate for the proposals change of use. 

“The new centre would also create jobs in the area provisions, reusing of these existing agricultural buildings the proposal directly creates additional employment space in the form of the MOT Testing Centre and associated offices.” 

The plans were refused by EDDC officers for two reasons, the first being the centre would cause noise disturbance to the houses near to the farm, and the other being officers said the ‘MOT testing centre would be poorly located within the built-up area of Otterton.’ 

You can read the full application on the East Devon District Council website - 22/1782/FUL