Planning news in and around Midsomer Norton this week.

As already reported, land South of unit 18, at the Midsomer Enterprise Park next door to the recycling centre, (Under 21/03281/FUL) an application is in to build a battery storage facility. This is the area which was once earmarked for a gas generator.

The application has been put in on behalf of Conrad Energy who, it is explained in the application, " provide various services such as the 'time shifting' of generated electricity into periods of high demand, grid frequency response, grid stability and peak lopping."

In simple terms, battery energy storage provides a means of allowing electricity from the grid to be imported and stored within the batteries at times of low demand and exported back into the grid at times of system stress/demand.

In reference to the campaign against the gas proposal, in the planning statement it is said " Conrad Energy have decided to work with local people and action groups in order to diffuse their opposition to the standby gas generators and propose an alternative form of technology that would appease them on environmental and amenity grounds. As part of this process, Conrad Energy have worked with National Grid in order to propose a battery energy storage facility that is entirely emission free. "

Another re-purposing application for the empty shop premises at 50 High Street, in Midsomer Norton ( application 21/03418/RTDCOU) prior approval has been requested for change of use from shop (Use Class A1) to dwelling house (Use Class C3). The application is for two flats.

The offices of The Care Network, which is at 1 Riverside Cottages, in Radstock could be turned into flats. Under reference 21/03417/ODCOU the owners have applied for prior approval request for change of use from offices (Use Class B1a) into five self-contained flats (Use Class C3). The buildings have been left empty since May 2020, but they have a long history, with planners being told that they date back 60 years and were once used as offices for the mining industry.

Lilliput House, on the Fosseway, in Westfield, (under reference 21/03451/ODCOU) has applied for prior approval for change of use from offices into a single apartment.

Over at Paulton Rovers Social Club, on Winterfield Road under reference 21/03484/COND plans for two detached bungalows on land to the rear of Bloomfield Rise has moved on, with an application to discharge of conditions 3 and 4 of application 16/05120/RES.

While in High Littleton, the owners of Dorrnie, on Goosard Lane, (under application 21/03342/FUL) have applied to build a loft conversion.

Planning decisions made by B&NES this week include:

Permitted, an application by 107 Kilmersdon Road, Radstock, to drop the kerb outside front of house to allow bigger off-street parking space.

Also permitted, an application from the owners of 2 Blackdown Way, in Midsomer Norton to reposition the existing garden wall.

And the development of the Flower And Hayes Ltd site at North Road, in Timsbury has moved a step closer with discharge of condition 11 of application 20/04457/VAR (Variation of conditions 4, 5, 6, & 8 of application 19/02095/FUL) That is for the building of 26 homes and office spaces along with new access - this is a resubmission.

While in Clutton, an application for a glamping pod at Southway, at 152 Clutton Hill, has been refused.