GRAND plans for a £365,600 revamp of Watchet Boat Museum have been approved by members of West Somerset Council’s planning committee.

The proposals have already been welcomed by the wider community, as well as volunteers at the boat museum.

And last Thursday the district council’s planning committee gave the official thumbs-up to the project which aims to modernise the existing museum and provide a more attractive frontage for visitors arriving in the town.

Not-for-profit social enterprise regeneration group the Onion Collective joined forces with Watchet Town Council to submit the planning application.

The planned new extension will house a new office for the town council, doubling the size of the existing facilities and also including toilets, a kitchen and a store room.

An existing lean-to taxi office will be demolished with alternative accommodation offered to operator Cliff’s Cabs within a new visitor centre extension on the north east side.

The extension will form the second element of the work on the seaward-facing side of the building and will include an open space for use as a visitor centre, as well as for town council meetings and for use by other community groups.

In a report to the planning committee, area planning manager Bryn Kitching said the extension would be clad in stained grey timber to ensure it was “viewed as separate from the original goods shed” while the proposed public realm works would improve the character and appearance of the area.