A Somerset councillor will be allowed to build new business premises in Glastonbury after amended plans were approved.

Councillor Terry Napper, who represents the Street West ward on Mendip District Council, applied for permission to construct two new industrial units near the former Sewtech premises on Dyehouse Lane.

Mr Napper had previously attempted to gain permission for the site in late-2021, but withdrew the plans following concerns about drainage.

The council's planning board has now green-lit the proposals, arguing it would be a sensible use of the land and would create new local jobs.

The site is accessible from Dyehouse Lane via a narrow bridge across the Mill Stream, with 11 car parking spaces (including one disabled space) and two cycling spaces being provided.

Mr Napper has not divulged the identity of any potential tenants for the new units, nor how many new jobs will be created as a result.

Oliver Hill of Collier Reading Architects (representing Mr Napper) said the development would help towards meeting the council's target of creating "between 1,050 and 1,200 new jobs" in Glastonbury by the end of the Local Plan period in 2029.

Mr Hill added: "The development will aim to provide employment and so improve the economic growth of Glastonbury.

"The new proposed development has been significantly reduced in scale in comparison to the original plans, therefore its impact on flood risk to [the] surrounding areas has been decreased."

The plans were warmly received by Glastonbury councillors when the planning board convened in Shepton Mallet on December 14, 2022.

Councillor Steve Henderson – whose Glastonbury St. Benedict's ward includes the site – said: "In my opinion, it's good use of scrub-land.

"It's in the middle of an industrial area of Glastonbury. There's a motor vehicle industry and other light industry there – it seems to be sensible to use the land for something similar.

"It's encouraging small businesses to start up, which is what we need in Glastonbury."

Councillor Nick Cottle added: "This is an absolutely logical place to put a couple of units."

The board voted to approve the plans by a margin of ten votes to nil (with one abstention) after less than 20 minutes' debate.