District planners have this week given the go-ahead to plans to replace a row of empty shop units in Church Street, Highbridge (pictured) with 15 flats.
At Wednesday’s Development Control Committee meeting, the thumbs-up was given to the plan, despite comments from Burnham and Highbridge town councillors that they would prefer the former shops to be redeveloped as new units.
While the town council said it “applauded” the redevelopment of a problem site, it had said the proposed building would be too tall and would contain too many flats. Bosses at the highways authority also did not back the scheme, saying access could be hampered.
But district planners decided that the scheme would be important to Highbridge and could act as a trigger to new investment.
Under the plans approved this week, 15 flats will be contained within a one three-storey building and two flats and six garages contained within a two-storey building. The plan also involves the formation of access and parking.
