A building built for hydroponics and to be used as a café which has sat empty for over a decade could be given a new lease of life, if plans are signed off by Warwick District Council.

GTS Motorsport Limited has applied for permission to change the use of the storage building at Brook Farm to open a garage for the restoration of classic cars.

If approved, the Stoneleigh Road scheme would allow the business to move from its current site at Earlswood.

“My desire for GTS is to grow the company to a maximum of five employees and to be one of the leading restoration businesses in the United Kingdom,” the application said. 

“As mentioned in the planning statement, GTS motorsport carries out no major fabrication, machining or painting processes, all of this is conducted by a robust local supply chain. 

“Most of the work conducted at Brook Farm, entails the use of hand tools to dismantle and reassemble components on the motor vehicle and re-attach them. 

“Therefore, there will be no impact due to noise. 

“Other than the employees, then the facility would be rarely visited by customers. We do not operate or rely on any passing trade.”

Plans show the building would have two car ramps built, still allowing space for two more cars to be worked on without a ramp.

There would also be storage space and a reception area.

The application continued: “Minimal traffic will be generated in and out of the property, no working on vehicles will take place outside the building, and no customer cars kept outside (too valuable and precious!)

“There will be no car painting, no machining or heavy fabrication, and there will be only low noise impact. 

“Presentation and tidiness are key to success internally and externally for such preservation, heritage skills will be developed and job opportunities, especially apprenticeships, will be provided.”

The owner of the building has also submitted a statement as part of the application, saying the building was built in 2012 to replace ones destroyed in a fire.

It has sat empty since and the owner has been unable to sell it.

See the full application here.