BIDS to secure more than £3.5 million of Government and European cash have been made to help transform one of Minehead's key development sites. Somerset County Council announced this week that it had finalised plans for the market/station site. It is pressing ahead with funding applications to the South West Regional Development Agency and the European Development Fund for the public realm and business workspace elements of the scheme. The plans include the provision of: l Twelve high quality industrial units built to national environmental standards. l The Minehead Eye youth centre. l A turntable for the West Somerset Railway and viewing area with a small retail unit. l Public realm area for an open market and craft units and 110 car parking spaces. With a contribution of £2.6 million from the county council and a further £276,000 from the WSR, the project represents a total spend of more than £6.4m. Coupled with the county council's announcement last week of a £1.6m scheme to create the Barle Enterprise Centre, near Dulverton, the total economic investment by the authority for West Somerset this year is in excess of £8m. The county's economic development portfolio holder Cllr Paul Buchanan said the investment had been made with the consent of people in the district, with local public engagement and consultation at the heart of every decision made. "We are confident of securing the funding for the market site which will allow our plans to become a reality and huge benefit for the people of Minehead," he said. WSR general manager Paul Conibeare also voiced his enthusiasm for the project. "We are delighted to join with our partners in this exciting project which will bring more visitors to Somerset by rail and uniquely will give our visitors a ringside seat in watching a 120-ton locomotive being turned by hand." The progress of the scheme and the work carried out so far by county officers and local residents has won the praise of Minehead's county councillor Ian Galloway. "This is a great example of what can be achieved by a community working in tandem with its county council," he said. "I would like to say thank you and well done to the officers and residents who have had the commitment and confidence to contribute so much and to work so hard for this development."