A second community consultation event will be taking place on Thursday, 21st January concerning emerging proposals for redevelopment of the Welton Bibby and Baron site. The planning consultancy says proposals for possible redevelopment will be employment-led, providing future jobs and additional residential development opportunities.
A public exhibition of the early-stage proposals on the site will take place at the former Main Reception (Glazed Entrance), Station Road, Midsomer Norton, between 5.30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday, 21st January.
The proposals relate to the submission of an outline planning application for the redevelopment of the existing site. As reported in last week’s Journal, the prospective applicants have recently asked B&NES Council to provide a screening opinion on the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment. ‘Screening’ is a procedure used to determine whether a proposed project is likely to have significant effects on the environment and normally takes place at an initial stage in the design of the project.
The screening request included plans indicating the proposed location of the development, a brief description of the nature and purpose of the proposal, and potential environmental effects, giving a broad indication of their likely scale.
The purpose of this second exhibition is to canvas views as widely as possible over the proposals, which at this very early stage, could include a sixty bed hotel, family-style public house, convenience store, potential care home and more, although planners are very keen to stress that this is purely at consultation stage, prior to the outline planning application being submitted.
Speaking this week, Cllr Barry Macrae (Cons., Midsomer Norton North), said: “I am very supportive of the fact that the planning consultancy has listened to locals and that there really is a significant level of agreement between us with the way this site is expected to be treated.
“What we need in this application, when it is made, is the support of new and extra jobs and the clear reduction in debilitating local commuting.
“We really do want this project to proceed smoothly and quickly with our local community and B&NES’ wholehearted support.”
Feedback on the proposals and the community consultation will then be discussed with Bath and North East Somerset Council