Proposals by One Stop to open a new convenience store on the ground floor of Burnham-On-Sea’s former job centre have this week been given the final go-ahead.
At a meeting of the Town Council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday evening (May 18th), councillors supported proposals by One Stop for new illuminated signs and fascia branding.
The property, at the junction of Burnham’s High Street and Regent Street, has been vacant since the job centre shut in 2008. The plans for a new store and eight flats upstairs were initially approved by Sedgemoor District Council in 2020.
Cllr Barbara Vickers said at Wednesday’s meeting: “We have been waiting a long time to something go in there, so I welcome this which will smarten up that end of town.”
Cllr Peter Clayton added: “The building is in a terrible state at the moment, so this will be a massive improvement. The proposed One Stop signs are pretty standard and will improve the appearance of the building.”
One Stop had submited an application for ‘advertisement consent’ to Sedgemoor District Council to seek permission for the new signs, which it says will be “sympathetic” to Burnham’s Conservation Area.
One Stop says: “The proposed fascia signage is to be unobtrusively illuminated in a way sympathetic to its surroundings, creating a welcoming open-for-business appearance in keeping with the character of the premises as a shop whilst not impacting on the residential properties in close vicinity. It is designed to be appropriate in size and scale to the fascia above the doors and shopfront.”
“The proposal includes window graphics which are required to obscure views to the back of
counter and cigarette gantry area, as well as the rear of shelving and back of house areas. The proposal accords with planning policy and the aims of the conservation area, it causes no conflict with public safety and will not have a detrimental effect on the visual amenity of the area.”
The building had been set to be redeveloped into a community facility with £1million of funding from the Government’s Coastal Community Fund, but the grant bid was rejected in 2018. Sedgemoor District Council is now expected to grant final consent for the plans.
As part of the application, it was agreed that the delivery loading bays for the new store would be provided in Regent Street next to the property.
Local residents had expressed concern about parking issues in the area around the site, which it was claimed may be further exacerbated by the new One Stop store and flats.
