A planning application to allow civil marriage and partnership ceremonies to take place at a house in Catcott has been turned down.

The application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for the proposed change of use from C3 dwelling house to a venue for marriages and civil partnerships at Dial House, 24 Manor Road, Catcott, by Cynthia Taylor was refused by Sedgemoor District Council.

In her application, Mrs Taylor said that, at the moment, the plan was to only facilitate her daughter's wedding ceremony, which the family hoped to have at Dial House, their family home, next year.

Mrs Taylor said she was aware of her obligations should she be successful in the application, in that she may be approached in the future to host other civil marriages and civil partnership

ceremonies.

She said: "I will try to facilitate those requests, but it is my intention, from a planning position, to only accept a limited number of small, day-time ceremonies of up to 30 people, and not to offer lavish reception facilities and late evening celebrations."

However, Catcott Parish Council expressed concerns, saying the change in use could cause parking problems, particularly as Dial House was down a single track dead end road where parking can be busy due to the close proximity to the village school.

In refusing the certificate, Sedgemoor District Council said there are no permitted development rights that would allow for the change the use of the dwelling house to sui generis for the mixed use of C3 dwelling house and as a venue for civil partnerships and weddings.

They said the change of use does result in a use beyond the existing use class and as such would require planning permission.

One planning application in the Street area has been submitted this week:

Conversion of existing outbuilding/barn into a granny annexe at 4 Timberyard, Shapwick, has been applied for by Mr and Mrs Higgs.

Planning applications in the Street area that have been decided this week include:

Works to trees covered by Preservation Orders T1 Holm Oak - selective pruning of side laterals by approximately up to 4-5 metres (where required), upper canopy to be thinned selectively by 20 to 30 per cent (approximately) at 1 Tor View Court, Somerton Road, Street, has been approved.

Variation of Condition 2 of Planning Permission 35/19/00004 (erection of dwelling and detached garage, formation of vehicular access) to add French doors and Juliette Balcony to rear (south) elevation and provide material list and datum levels to elevations on land to the east of Paddock Lodge, Pit Hill Lane, Moorlinch, by Mrs Yucel has been approved.