A PLAN to demolish a dilapidated barn and build a new two-storey vets has been submitted to the council.

The application, by the Taylor family of Wilderness Farm in Great Witley - who already own the half-hectare triangular piece of land which the old barn sits in – hope to demolish the run-down building and replace it with a new two-storey veterinary surgery.

The vets would be used for working dogs, farm cats, small animals and pets.

The ground floor would contain a number of consulting rooms and spaces for pre-op preparation, operations, x-rays and dental work.

New recovery areas would also be built that would allow for animals to stay overnight when required.

Accommodation for veterinary staff who monitor and care for the animals overnight would also be built as well as offices and storage facilities.

The site lies within the grade II-listed Witley Court Park but is 900 metres away from Witley Court.

The barn has not been used for a number of years and the new building would increase the footprint by around a quarter.

A number of trees, hedging and shrubs would be planted around the building on the remaining land.

The waiting area at the front of the building would be split into zones to allow for dogs and cats to wait separately.

The new vets would provide the equivalent of eight new part time jobs including a veterinary surgeon, veterinary nurses and admin staff without the closure of any existing businesses.

A design statement prepared on behalf of the Taylor family by Gould Singleton Architects said the new vets would “provide a sustainable business and service that will benefit the local community for years to come.”

The statement goes on to say that the new surgery has been carefully designed to fit well with its rural location on the edge of a heritage park.

Due to the rural location, the vets is expecting most visitors to travel by car with their pets.

A car park with 21 spaces would be built as well as eight cycle storage spaces.

Consultation on the plan ends on April 24.

Comments can be made via the planning section of Malvern Hills District Council’s planning website.

The application number is 19/00468/FUL.