PLANNING permission has been given to extend Homeleigh Garden Centre’s main building and build a new car wash.

The indoor sales area, including the cafe, can now grow from 1,400 square metres to 1,900 square metres, and warehouse space can go up from 575 square metres to 795 square metres. The car wash will take up 212 square metres.

Company director Rob Broad has also been given the green light to move the machinery shed and extend it to 736 square metres in size and create a larger delivery area. The outdoor sales area will stay the same.

Bought by Homeleigh in 2017, the garden centre has been recently remodelled with work finishing in February 2023.

Several old buildings and structures were demolished and the new main building, machinery shed and car park built.

The approved plans will allow the “thriving” business to be able “to grow and continue to offer the range of garden related products and plants expected by shoppers in order to retain and increase business (as well as associated business rates and employment) within the area”, planning documents say.

Mid Devon District Council said the expansion and modernisation of the garden centre would not “adversely affect the vitality or viability of Crediton or the surrounding villages”, and it would “create new employment opportunities and could secure wider benefits to the local economy if customers from a wider catchment area visit the site”.

The car wash’s opening hours will be the same as the garden centre’s.

Homeleigh owns three garden centres in Launceston, Crediton and Bude and employs more than 100 staff.

You can see the application on the Mid Devon District Council website under reference 24/01142/MFUL.

To see more public notices and planning applications, visit: publicnoticeportal.uk.