A SANDFORD man has asked for more time to tear down a car workshop and storage building he built without planning permission near Crediton.

Kevin Mears bought the former pumping station at Uton and put up the 160-square-metre grey structure between November 2022 and March 2023.

He applied for planning permission to keep the building in June 2023, but Mid Devon District Council rejected his application a year later.

Mr Mears then appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to overturn the council’s decision, but his appeal was rejected.

Mid Devon District Council has since given Mr Mears four months to remove the workshop, cars and all associated tools.

Mr Mears has said that while he will comply with the enforcement notice, the amount of time specified is “inadequate”.

“I have accepted the requirement [to] comply and remove the building and items listed in the enforcement notice. I am appealing against the amount of time that has been given to remove the building, contents and associated equipment and cars,” he said.

“I was relocated to this site following a compulsory purchase of my previous commercial for road widening where I conducted business as a motor mechanic, sadly forcing my retirement from the trade and an unexpected and underprepared relocation to this site.

“I purchased the current site in order to use the space to conduct personal hobby of repairing a collection of personal private vehicles.

“I work alone and have nowhere immediately ready to relocate the equipment and vehicles again.

“If I can find somewhere then it will take far longer than four months to move all the equipment and vehicles let alone take down the structure and remove the reinforced concrete structure.”

You can see the enforcement notice on Mid Devon District Council’s website under reference 23/00018/RURAL.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

You can also see the refused planning application and dismissed appeal under reference 23/01004/FULL.