Plans to demolish buildings on a former Shapwick School site in Burtle and build a home and holiday let in their place, have been given the green light.

The planning application for the demolition of an ancillary storage/classroom and stone outbuildings, and the building of a single dwelling with integral garage, the widening of existing vehicular entrance and building of an ancillary unit of holiday accommodation on the site of a Dutch barn (to be demolished) at Chapel Hill Farm, Mark Road, Burtle, had been submitted to Sedgemoor District Council by Mr and Mrs House.

The site contains an existing single linear building located on the central part of the plot, which has been used as a storage building, games room and workshop in association with the former school.

Permission was previously granted for the change of use of the building to a single dwelling and demolition of the Dutch barn and building of a holiday let. That permission was implemented and remains in existence.

However, the newly-approved plans are to demolish the linear building and nearby outbuilding, and in its place build a new dwelling, which will be in an L-plan footprint.

It has been designed to appear as a traditional barn with a linear two-storey section and perpendicularly projecting single-storey wing.

On the end of the single-storey wing is an open log store which will incorporate the end wall of the smaller outbuilding which is being partially demolished.

The single-storey wing will contain a garage with parking for two vehicles, plus there is area for parking and turning outside the building in a courtyard area. A garden to serve the dwelling is proposed on the south west side of the building.

A holiday let was also again sought to be built following demolition of the Dutch barn. It will be single-storey under a pitched roof.

A three-bedroom unit with open plan living area, the holiday let will have its own parking for three vehicles accessed off the existing vehicular access in the northern part of the site.

Burtle Parish Council supported the application and said: "Councillors are pleased to note the proposed use of natural stone and reclaimed tiles, which will help the dwelling to blend in with the surrounding buildings.

"Councillors feel that the proposed development will tidy up the site and visually will be an improvement on the existing concrete block building."

Sedgemoor District Council agreed and the planning officer's report said: "The fact there is an extant permission for a dwelling (and holiday let), which has been implemented, and for which there is no obvious reason to preclude its conversion, is a material consideration which has a significant bearing on the application.

"The design is considered to to give rise to betterment when compared with the approved scheme. There are no other impacts which cannot be satisfactorily addressed via condition.

"Given there is an extant holiday let at the site, the proposal to approve this holiday let on the same footprint is considered acceptable."