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A planning application has been submitted to change the use of the Old Sorting Office at 52-54 Budleigh High Street from B8 Distribution to part retail and part residential.
The plan is to change the sorting office into an antiques dealership, opening up the original front door which now houses a letter box.
Above will be a two-storey apartment with dormer windows to match those seen throughout the high-street. This one-bedroom apartment will allow the shop manager to keep an eye on the site, improving security.
To fund the project, the remaining building would be converted into one, two storey two bed home and a three storey three bed.
The application states: “The argument could be made that the ground floor should be converted into retail outlets, but the town has an abundance of empty shops and further shops are looking at closing due to rising energy bills and a lack of foot fall in the town.
“The two domestic properties would be sold off to fund the work carried out on the antiques dealership and flat above, providing much needed housing in a central location which would be beneficial to families and couples a like.”
Plans have been submitted by Mr Upham, who owns an established antiques shop in London. Mr Upham currently lives in Budleigh Salterton.
At the moment the building lies empty and is at risk to vandalism, arson and anti-social behaviour which the application says will ‘reduce once the site is in use.’
The former sorting office was once owned by Royal Mail who moved distrubition to the Exmouth srting office on Bicton Street.
An application was submitted in January 2018 to covert the sorting office into a pub but that was rejected.
The application has been submitted to East Devon District Council, who will either approve or refuse the plans.
