SMALLHOLDERS in Littlehempston want to convert an agricultural building to use as a wedding venue.

Bow Grange is currently home to fie cattle, a small herd of pygmy goats, ducks and chickens.

Among its 14 hectares of land, there is an agricultural building, also used for horses, which the owners want to use to develop facilities to host weddings.

A change of use application has been submitted to Teignbridge Council to allow the building, which has been in agricultural use for 21 years, to be converted.

The building is currently used to stable nine horses. Adjacent to the site is a range of traditional stone buildings which benefit from planning consent for conversion to three holiday lets, games room, office and an apartment.

The proposal is looking to provide onsite accommodation for guests to support the wedding venue which, it is hoped, will bring in additional income.

A planning statement says: ‘The building to which this application relates was erected for the purpose of agriculture and is presently used to stable horses and for the storage of agricultural machinery/equipment.

‘This application seeks to change the use of the building to a wedding venue to host such events throughout the year and provide an additional stream of income to the applicant’s agricultural enterprise.

‘The change of use of the agricultural building to a wedding venue will act to support local businesses including caterers, florists, events planners and many more.

‘As such, the development will have a positive cumulative effect on the local economy.

‘The development represents the sustainable use of an existing, structurally sound building for a business use which is appropriate in a countryside location.’

The application will be considered by Teignbridge Council planners.