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Former council depots to be sold at auction

News imageTorridge District Council The picture shows a large, old industrial-style building photographed from above. The structure has three floors, with pale brick walls and bright blue window frames and doors. The roof is slate and shows patches of weathering. The ground floor has wide shutter-style doors on the right side that look suited to vehicles or workshop use. Torridge District Council
Westcombe Depot in Bideford has been standing empty since the council moved to a new centre

Two former council depots are to be sold off after being left empty following a move to a new facility.

Westcombe Depot in Bideford and Piper's Yard in Holsworthy, Devon, will go under the hammer in an online auction that closes on 1 April.

The depots have been standing empty since Torridge District Council moved its teams into a new centre in East-the-Water, Bideford, earlier this year.

The shift has freed up two well‑located plots that are expected to draw interest from developers, small business owners and anyone looking for a project with potential, said the council.

News imageTorridge District Council A small yard surrounded by several old, single‑storey industrial outbuildings. The ground is a wide expanse of worn concrete with visible cracks and patches of discolouration. On the right, there is a rectangular building with a corrugated roof and a large garage-style door. Further back, there are two more outbuildings with pale walls and sloping roofs, one of which has a green wheelie bin positioned outside.Torridge District Council
Piper's Yard in Holsworthy has several light industrial workshops and outbuildings

Westcombe Depot comes with a mix of office space, a ground floor workshop and a detached two-storey house. The plot covers just over half an acre and sits close to busy routes into town.

The council said the site offers scope for redevelopment or repositioning in line with local housing demand, which has remained strong across north Devon.

Interested buyers are being told to check directly with planning officers about design options, density rules and any previous planning decisions affecting the depot.

Piper's Yard covers 0.22 acres and includes a yard along with several light industrial workshops and outbuildings.

It may suit ongoing commercial use, but there is also room for alternative schemes if planning permission is secured, said the council.

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