The deteriorating condition of Burnham-On-Sea’s former job centre has prompted new safety concerns to be raised by residents this week.
Several people have contacted the Town Council to report concerns over the poor state of the premises in the High Street.
Sections of the metal window frames have been damaged, leaving the glass panes in a precarious state, as pictured below.
The building, located at the junction of Burnham’s High Street and Regent Street, is due to be turned into a new retail unit while upstairs there will be four 1-bedroom flats plus four 2-bedroom flats.
In November 2024, we reported here that Somerset Council had week given the final go-ahead for plans to redevelop the former job centre into a modern shop and eight flats.
Town councillors had also unanimously supported the proposals to redevelop the building.
A previous planning application to develop the job centre was approved in 2020 but had lapsed without work being undertaken, hence revised plans were submitted to Somerset Council in 2024 by the applicant.
The property has been vacant since the former job centre closed in March 2008. The building was 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.
