A DISUSED primary school near Holsworthy could be could be converted into a dwelling if plans are approved by Torridge District Council.

Sutcombe Primary School has been closed since August 2016 when Devon County Council opted to permanently close the educational facility, citing a falling number of children attending the school.

At the time of the closure, there had been 21 primary school pupils in attendance at the school, which had capacity for 56 children.

Devon County Council said that with this not likely to improve, combined with an inability to ‘secure new leadership’ at the establishment, it would close the facility.

Since its closure, the school has been left empty with an uncertain future, changing hands in addition to two failed attempts to sell it at an auction after approval for the change of use of the building into two dwellings was approved by Torridge District Council in 2024.

It has led the building’s current owner applying to amend the change of use so that the building will become one four-bedroomed building as opposed to being split into two separate properties.

The previous proposals that had been approved would have seen the building split into two floors and turned into one four-bedroom property and a second three bedroom property.

However, instead of building a second floor, there will only be a mezzanine at the property.

The applicant, Mr Flowers said:“The original applicant has had this building for sale for twenty months since approval including two attempts at auction however, it did not sell as no one came forward to convert it into two dwellings.

“The current owner and applicant wishes to alter this approval to a single story, single dwelling place. Under this proposal, the parking arrangements and highway access will not be changed.”

Part of the building will continue to be demolished, however with the applicant stating: “Externally, the primary school will be renovated with only minor changes to the fabric of the building. The sections of the school which were undergoing demolition under the existing consent are about to begin at the time of writing this report as this section of the building is under risk of collapse.

“The existing main entrance to the building will be closed up and a double casement window installed in place of the glass door whilst the original porched entrance will be renovated and reused as the main entrance to the dwelling.

“ There will be an additional window placed in the south gable wall; however, this does not overlook any other properties and cannot be seen from the road.

“Under this proposal there will not be a second storey to the dwelling save for a small mezzanine section forming a bedroom that takes up one third of the floor space of the main hall. No additional windows will be added for this section.”

There will also be a roof void made available for bats to access.

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The plans can be viewed using reference 1/0282/2026/FUL on the Torridge District Council planning portal.