Plans for new car repair centre lodged with district council

Plans for a new car repair and MOT test centre have been submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council.

Businessman James Edmunds has applied for permission to use premises on the Sedgeway Business Park, in Common Road, Witchford, as the base for Ely Auto Care.

As well as repairs, space will also be set aside for a small car sales area.

The premises were formally home to Ely Soham Dial a Ride, which used the space to repair and maintain its own vehicles.

The charity has since been dissolved and the service is now run as Ely and Soham Association for Community Transport, with a headquarters in March.

John Dadge, of planning agents Barker Storey Matthews, said: “The application premises are within and established employment area with only one immediate neighbour being one of a pair of semi-detached units.

“There is adequate parking and manoeuvring space within the site relative to the proposed uses.

“The proposal will therefore help retain existing employment, encourage growth and help facilitate the regeneration of an unattractive non-conforming site close to the town centre.”

Initially, the business will support two full-time jobs but the application says that two further staff members could be taken on within the next three years, in permission is granted.

A decision on the plans is expected within the next eight weeks. To view the plans, or to have a say, visit www.eastcambs.gov.uk