People using Midsomer Norton's leisure centre or taking their kids to the playground outside could soon grab a coffee in their car, if plans for a new coffee shop are approved.

The leisure centre wants to knock down the disused toilet block out the front of the building and build a new coffee shop.

Dragonfly Leisure, the company who run the sports facility on Gullock Tyning, submitted a planning application to Bath and North East Somerset Council in late December.

The small coffee shop would be closer to the playground than the position of the old toilet block, and a lane would come off the entrance to the car park for cars to access the cafe as a drive-through.

There will also be tables and chairs overlooking the children's play area — which the leisure centre hopes to replace with new equipment.

Chief executive Matt Wise said: "The coffee drive-through plans being submitted, which have the support of Midsomer Norton Town Council, are part of a bigger plan to help transform Midsomer Norton into a 'destination town', which will hopefully help increase footfall to the struggling high street.

"Our master plan also includes the installation of an 18-hole crazy golf course, replacing the old condemned outdoor play equipment, as well as creating an open community green space to include sustainable agriculture where local people can harvest their own food for free!"

He added: "The planting of fruiting trees and shrubs, (Apple, Plum, Pear, Cherry, Blackcurrant, Redcurrant, Gooseberry, Strawberry etc), as well as native trees such as Crab Apple, Silver Birch and Oak trees, will not only create a space for the local community to be at one with nature but help reduce/offset carbon emissions too!"

Dragonfly Leisure have applied for National Lottery funding for the replacement of the outdoor play equipment, parts of which have had to be decommissioned due to the 15-year-old wood rotting and becoming unsafe.

Bath and North East Somerset Council have also supplied £30,000 of funding to help the leisure centre match their funding target.

A decision will be made on whether the leisure centre gets the National Lottery funding on January 25. If successful, the local community will be able to choose from three potential designs for the playground.

The coffee shop and the crazy golf course would be funded through the leisure centre's existing finance.

Architects Bignell Shaklady Ewing said in their design and access statement: "The new building will be of contemporary construction, scale, colours and materials to be complementary to the leisure centre."

Consultation on the plans for the coffee shop will run until February 2.

Bath and North East Somerset Council will aim to make a decision on whether to grant planning permission by February 22.