County council axes seafront market

THE long-running Minehead seafront outdoor market has been axed by Somerset County Council.
The authority has decided not to grant the market operators a licence this year.
County council spokeswoman Jan Hookings said it was ‘because of the planned redevelopment of the station site’.
The Liberal Democrat-run county council is due to press ahead with an industrial and leisure development of the site beside Minehead’s railway station which will use the land on which the twice-weekly outdoor market has been held.
There was controversy previously when West Somerset District Council proposed a similar scheme for the site and local residents demanded the market should be kept.
The controversy partly gave rise to the creation by the Liberal Democrats of the residents’ group Direct, which organised a protest march against the scheme.
Direct, which is now actively supporting ‘Independent’ candidates in next month’s local council elections, has not similarly fought the county council’s plans.
A Continental market held in Minehead recently proved a big success with shoppers flooding into the town centre.
Photo submitted.

Seafront industrial development for Minehead

INDUSTRIAL development of a key Minehead seafront site which civic protestors fought to preserve for tourism uses is to go ahead after all.
Somerset County Council is to carry out a £6.4 million scheme which it originally developed as a partnership with West Somerset Council before reneging on the agreement.
The county has now finalised detailed plans for the development of the Station Road market site and is submitting two funding applications to the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and European Regional Development Fund (EDRF) in order to secure cash to help finance the scheme.
It wants to build 12 environmentally sustainable industrial units on land alongside the West Somerset Railway, which protestors previously claimed would ruin the railway’s ability to expand its important role in the tourism economy.
The funding applications total £3.5 million, which would be added to £2.6 million provided by the county and £276,800 from the railway.
Provision will also be made in the scheme for a long-awaited Minehead Eye Youth Centre and for a turntable for the railway.
Space will be included for an open market and craft units, and 110 car parking spaces will be schemed in.
West Somerset Railway general manager Paul Conibeare said: “We are delighted to join with our partners in this exciting project which will bring more visitors to Somerset, by rail, and uniquely will give our visitors a ringside seat in watching a 120 tonne locomotive being turned by hand.”
Minehead’s county Councillor Ian Galloway - who previously was one of the more vociferous opponents of the scheme when the district council was involved - said: “This is a great example of what can be achieved by a community working in tandem with its county council.
“I would like to say thank you and well done to the officers and residents who have had the commitment and confidence to contribute so much and to work so hard for this development.”
County council economic development portfolio holder, Councillor Paul Buchanan, said: “Somerset County Council have made this investment with the consent of the people of West Somerset, with local public engagement and consultation at the heart of every decision that we have made.
“We are confident of securing the funding for the market site which will allow our plans to become a reality and huge benefit for the people of Minehead.”

• Our images show the site plan of the area alongside the railway and how the turntable area could look. Images submitted.