Plans for the final improvements at the Avalon Marshes Centre on the Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve at Westhay have been given the go-ahead.

Mendip planners have approved an application by Natural England for a new entrance pergola, replacement purpose-built café kiosk with covered outdoor seating area, a canopy structure for trailers, refuse store, parking bays and associated landscaping.

Planning permission is already in place for a new new-storey visitor centre building and archaeological reconstructions. Work on the reconstructions has already been carried out, but is yet to begin on the visitors centre.

The design and access statement, submitted as part of the application, it says: "The proposal generally aims to provide the finishing touches to the overall development of the site which has been happening over a number of years. "The rationalisation and coherent design of the buildings on the site, along with the carefully considered hard and soft landscaping proposals will promote the use of the visitor centre and nature reserve generating and promoting tourism in the area."

Other applications validated and decided by Mendip District Council are as follows:

Applications validated

Holly Trees, 56 Benedict Street, Glastonbury

Approval of details reserved by condition 3 (Construction Management Plan) on planning consent 2022/0353/HSE.

10 Benedict Street, Glastonbury

Change of use of ground floor of Number 10 Benedict Street from retail to residential.

102 Bove Town, Glastonbury

New pedestrian access, replace secondary front door with sash window, replace glazing to front elevation, rear orangery extension and revised outbuilding with new dormer window.

Tor View Peat Works, Sharpham Drove, Sharpham, Street

Part retrospective for replacement storage facility, installation of external lighting, increase in storage capacity, change of use of land and erection of new building for storage of agricultural machinery.

Applications decided

6 Burleigh Lane, Street

Erection of two storey side extension and single storey rear extension following demolition of utility & store.

Decision: Approval

Phase 6B, Street Business Park, Gravenchon Way, Street

Installation of a steel frame structure displaying individual business signs.

Decision: Withdrawn

Hillcrest, Southwood Lane, Baltonsborough, Glastonbury

Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 3 (Materials), 4 (Hard and Soft Landscaping), 8 (Surface Water Drainage System), 9 (Drainage - Foul), 13 (External Lighting) on planning consent 2021/1772/FUL (Demolition of existing dwelling and outbuildings and erection of replacement dwelling and outbuilding).

Decision: Approval

Avalon Marshes Centre, Shapwick Road, Westhay, Glastonbury

Removal of existing ancillary café kiosk and toilet building, and erection of new entrance pergola, new ancillary café kiosk, covered outdoor seating area, open-sided trailer canopy, refuse store, parking bays and associated landscaping.

Decision: Approval