DISTRICT councillors have given a cautious welcome to proposals to sell off the former Aquasplash site to supermarket chain Lidl, believing it will be welcomed by local people and create much needed jobs.

At Wednesday's cabinet meeting, West Somerset Council members were told the type of companies interested in the land were all very similar.

The authority agreed to consider selling off the very last of its 'family silver' earlier this year in an attempt to pay off a £3.5 million debt.

While the supermarket is being earmarked for the plot off Vulcan Road, a Marston's pub could be built on land close to the new hospital off Seaward Way.

Both Lidl and Marston's submitted the highest bids for the sites, although the district council has not revealed how much they would be willing to pay for them.

Lead member for regeneration and economic growth Cllr Karen Mills said she was disappointed the council was having to sell off the last of its family silver, but felt there was no alternative.

"I don't have another option," she said. "I'm also disappointed in the end uses put forward for the land.

"'Not another supermarket' was my feeling, but this is the situation we find ourselves in."

Councillors said they had received a lot of feedback from residents about whether Minehead needed another supermarket having already got a large Tesco and Morrisons, as well as smaller Co-op and Iceland stores.

"Lidl will not compete in the way people think it will. In many ways it will complement existing shops.

"They will bring employment to the town; they will not be destructive to it," Cllr Richard Lillis said.

Local businessman Cllr Andrew Hadley also welcomed the proposal and said many people in West Somerset were on low wages and would benefit from the arrival of a cut price supermarket.

Cllr Martin Dewdney added: "This will keep more shoppers in the area and will not be lost to Taunton and Bridgwater.

"Lidl is not a minimum wage employer . . . it will also help to drive down prices in Tesco and Morrisons."

But Cllr Jon Freeman said the arrival of another major supermarket chain would do nothing to help Minehead's economy.

"I'm of the view we don't need a third supermarket but I'm not going to fight it this time. There's no point.

"But at the end of the day it will do nothing to improve the prosperity of West Somerset," Cllr Freeman said.

As well as the Aquasplash and Seaward Way sites, the purpose-built visitor information centre on Minehead seafront was also marketed for sale.

But while the Aquasplash and Seaward Way plots have been put forward for sale, the visitor centre could be leased to a third party by the council under a yet-to-be-discussed deal.

Cabinet members were told there had been 85 "expressions of interest" received for the sites, resulting in 19 formal offers - five for Aquasplash, eight for the leisure land and six for the visitor centre.

Potential uses put forward included food retail, a fast food outlet, a hotel and discount home goods store.

Cllr Keith Ross said he supported the sell-off of the sites and said the amount of interest from national and international companies had given him "hope for the future".

But while cabinet members agreed to recommend Lidl and Marston's as the preferred bidders for the sites, Cllr Ross said he would be suggesting another bidder when the issue was discussed at the full council meeting later in the month.

Local people will be able to have their say before a final decision is taken after cabinet members agreed to put the draft details of the proposals on the council's website.