DISTRICT council plans to redevelop the former municipal tip at Culvercliffe in Minehead into a community facility are still no further forward as doubt remains over the classification of the site.

Last month, members of West Somerset District Council's cabinet deferred making a decision on ambitious plans to create a £200,000 amenity area at Culvercliffe to allow chief executive Tim Howes to have talks with the Environment Agency.

But on Monday, councillors were told there were still "a number of outstanding issues".

The key to the success of the entire scheme was whether the authority would need to obtain a costly waste licence to develop the site.

If it did not, the work would be done at no cost to the council by building contractor C J Lynch and Sons.

However, if a licence was needed, costs could spiral for the already cash-strapped local authority.

Mr Howes told cabinet members the issue of the waste licence was still subject to "further negotiations" with the Environment Agency.

He said he had given the agency assurances that the shingle ridge at Culvercliffe would be protected, while discussions with agency staff revealed that preliminary works to fill bore holes would cost £35,000.

All top soil deposited at the site would also have to be screened.

"We need to discuss these issues with Lynch's. It is my intention that any work carried out will not cost the council," Mr Howes said.

Lynch's had intended to deposit topsoil at Culvercliffe, rather than spending money transporting it out of West Somerset.

The soil would then be compacted and levelled over the next three to four years to create a children's play area, a seating and picnic area, a ball games area, an area for walkers, a dog walking area, plus some car parking.

Cabinet members asked Mr Howes to write to Lynch's explaining the outcome of his meeting with the Environment Agency and asking them if they still wanted to go ahead with the scheme.

If they did, a further meeting would then be held with the agency and the results reported back to a future meeting of the cabinet.