MINEHEAD'S Butlins resort could soon become an all-year-round attraction after the holiday giant unveiled plans to build a multi-million pound hotel on site.

The modern 'character hotel' would replace some of the older holiday accommodation and could create up to 100 new jobs.

If approved by planners it would sit alongside a £16 million revamp of redundant 1960s chalets.

Local residents will be able to find out more about the plans when they go on public display at a special event in the ballroom of the Hobby Horse public house in Minehead on Wednesday January 8 from 1pm to 8pm.

Representatives from Butlins and the company's development team will be there to discuss the proposals and answer questions.

A scale model of the new hotel and the already approved redevelopment will also be on show.

A planning application for the hotel is likely to be lodged with West Somerset Council soon after the exhibition.

Julian Highfield, the Minehead resort's managing director, said he hoped residents would take the opportunity to take a closer look at the plans by calling in to the exhibition.

"Visitors tell us that they would welcome the flexibility and convenience of holiday accommodation in the form of a resort hotel on the Minehead site.

"We are proposing a character hotel that would appeal to those with pre-school children outside school holidays, as well as families during traditional holiday periods.

"This type of hotel has worked well at our resort in Bognor Regis and we think Minehead would also benefit from a modern resort hotel that will help to turn Butlins into an all year around destination," Mr Highfield said.

He said work had recently started on the neighbouring £16 million redevelopment, which will provide improved holiday accommodation for guests.

It includes a mixture of one and two-storey holiday units with adjacent parking, overlooking lakes and parkland on a 9.3 acres site.

The development replaces 169 chalets which were built in the 1960s and which are no longer used for visitors.

"The resort hotel will complement this development by providing a greater variety of accommodation and an improved experience for our visitors," Mr Highfield said.

The firm said bed spaces would remain around the same as current levels once the two developments were completed.