Somerset Council has given the final go-ahead to revised plans to turn a former hardware shop in Burnham-On-Sea town centre into a development of five new flats and two small shops.
Salways Hardware at 11 Regent Street shut down at the end of 2015 after almost 100 years of business.
The owner is seeking full planning permission for the “sub-division of the ground floor commercial unit into two units, plus the conversion of the remainder of the building from commercial to five residential apartments, including a first and second floor rear extension.”
The applicant adds: “The development will provide for two commercial tenancies on the ground floor, providing new small business opportunities into the town centre, and five residential flats in a highly sustainable location.” The new plans for two shops are pictured below.
Town councillors gave their backing to the plans last month and now Somerset Council has given its go-ahead.
In 2017, we reported here that district councillors had rejected a previous planning application for new flats in the building, citing a loss of retail facilities and damage to the character and appearance of the Burnham-On-Sea Conservation Area.
The proposals were amended to address the council’s concerns and planning permission was subsequently approved in June 2018 for a modified scheme. However, the approval had a planning condition attached to it requiring “the development to start within three years” which expired in 2021 – hence the need for this new planning application to be approved.
