TWEAKS are being made to plans for a retirement community development in Minehead following feedback on its original design.

McCarthy Stone wants to demolish the Co-op supermarket in The Avenue and build 35 retirement apartments and a smaller convenience store on the site.

The plans, submitted in February of last year, appeared to have stalled with nothing posted on the Somerset Council planning portal since April, 2024.

But, the company has now provided an updated design and access statement and a heritage review in response to consultee comments it has received on its proposals.

A spokesperson for Inspire Design said the project would see improvements to amenities spaces and landscaping, and the corner of the proposed new building facing Summerland Avenue would have a lower roof and a reduced gable end.

The new convenience store would also see some minor changes to help it integrate better with the surrounding streetscape and the green space at its front was to be expanded to soften its visual impact.

The spokesperson said: “We aim to achieve a convenience store design that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and contributes positively to the character of the street.”

A spokesperson for Avalon Planning and Heritage said: “The proposed redevelopment seeks to align with the historical context and the architectural character of the Wellington Square Conservation Area.

“The Co-op building's redesign aims to provide a more suitable and subservient structure, complementing the surrounding streetscape, while the retirement living development integrates with the surrounding character through its play with forms, rooflines, and materials which help to break its mass into a more domestic scale.

“The careful consideration of architectural elements and materials demonstrates a commitment to preserving the town’s unique heritage while meeting contemporary needs.

“The revised design of both the Co-op and the retirement living development responds positively to the concerns of officers to refine the detailing and materials to further compliment and reflect the character and appearance of the conservation area and surrounding buildings while retaining the functionality and viability of the scheme.

“The proposals have been carefully designed to respect the traditional character and appearance of the conservation area and to provide a sympathetic and considered response, which will preserve the character and appearance of the area.

“In our view, the proposals represent a positive enhancement to this part of the conservation area, removing the unsympathetic 1980s building and replacing it with something much more considered and sympathetic to its setting.”

The Minehead scheme is part of the largest construction initiative McCarthy Stone has undertaken in the Westcountry for more than six years.

It will provide one and two-bedroom apartments for elderly residents with a smaller convenience store-size Co-op re-opening on The Avenue frontage of the site.

The Co-op would be 3,000 sq ft, which would keep it below the threshold of Sunday trading laws and allow it to open all day.

The retirement flats block will include shared facilities such as a homeowners’ lounge and guest suite, with access from Summerland Avenue.