A new business repairing tractors could be setting up in Cricklade.

And it’s as a consequence of improvements at the other end of the A419 and A417.

Phil Garlick and his wife used to run both a farm and an agricultural tractor repair business in Birdlip in Gloucestershire, near Cheltenham.

Their farm had been bought by the government in order to built the ‘missing link’ on the A417, which is often a source of hold-ups to people driving form the M5, or Cheltenham, to Swindon or the M4.

Mr and Mrs Garlick have now bought Whitehall Farm just to the south of Cricklade, where they intend to farm again, and also start repairing farmers’ tractors.

The couple already have permission to use one of the buildings at the farmyard for such purposes but they have applied to planners at County Hall in Trowbridge for permission to demolish a number of buildings and replace them with new buildings better suited to the repair business.

Their application says: “Unfortunately the existing buildings are too low for most modern agricultural vehicles. For that reason they wish to demolish some of the cattle sheds and build a new, taller agricultural machinery workshop, with attached office.”

“We require more space for the repair, and for covered storage before and after repair, of tractors and agricultural machinery.”

The couple supply pictures as part of their application for several of the buildings including one which notionally could be used, showing it’s too low for the purpose: “Building 6 would provide an adequate floorspace, but as can be seen in the photographs below it is unfortunately too low for large modern tractors, which can only just fit into the feed passage area because it is taller.

“Because the building is so low for modern tractors, change of use is not a workable option. They need a taller workshop.”

Mr and Mrs Garlick want to demolish the agricultural building 6, which is too low, and also they are removing a large silage clamp, and intend to use the concrete pad of the clamp for new offices and the workshop.

Their application says: “This will result in a large yard in front of the workshops, a new connected office and staff facility plus parts storage, safer parking for the existing offices, and an overall reduction in building space.

It adds that the business already employs the members of the family, a full-time mechanic and two part-time or self-employed mechanics. And that it is expected two further full-time fitters will be employed.

Comments on the plans should be sent to Wiltshire Council by July 7.