SURESTART chiefs have announced that they are looking to site the hotly-debated Williton centre in the car park at the doctors' surgery in Robert Street and not Killick Way.

After months of protests from young mothers, residents and traders in the village who want the facility built next to St Peter's First School, SureStart could be about to purchase the GPs' car park.

Meanwhile, a group of young Williton mothers have been fundraising to pay for a £660 outline planning application for a development for young children and their families next to St Peter's School.

The mothers hope that if SureStart's plans, which were submitted to West Somerset District Council planning committee this week, collapse then the site next to the school would be re-considered.

It is understood that SureStart, which will support children up to the age of four and their families, could pay between £50,000 and £100,000 for the surgery car park.

Meanwhile, the Williton Parents' Group have been fundraising to generate the £660 application for a development to serve cultural, educational and social needs.

The parents' application came before Williton Parish Council's planning committee for its views last night (Thursday) and councillors were expected to back the proposals.

Spokesman for the group, mother-of-three Alison Gould said: "Williton Parents' Group still feel that Killick Way car park or the doctors' surgery car park are the wrong sites for the centre.

"It is the wrong end of town for parents to have to walk to if they have other children at the school and it is dangerous. Added on top of this is the fact that parents will have to pay to park if they drive.

"The site by the school will provide free parking spaces and a lot of the people in the village, both young and old, feel this is the best place to build the facility.

"We have applied for outline planning permission so that if the plans for doctors' surgery car park fall through or SureStart bosses change their minds then they can have the site by the school."

Bosses say the plans for the surgery car park will create a 'health village' by providing family support and child care services.

SureStart manager Frances Evesham told the Free Press that the centre had to be situated in a central location to be a success: "We wanted the building to be central in the village and close to the surgery, the library and, of course, the shops.

"We listened very carefully to what people had to say because some were not happy with the Killick Way site as it would mean a loss of car parking.

"Then it was suggested to us that we speak the GPs about putting SureStart on their car park and when we approached them they were enthusiastic about SureStart and the objectives being put in place."

Mrs Evesham added: "We have always felt that the site by the school is not a good place and we were worried about the problem of parking and traffic congestion.

"The decision was taken that we would be better off in the centre of the village which will make it much more accessible for the 600 families expected to use the building from outside Williton."

West Somerset District Council, which owns Killick Way car park, had already decided that the centre could be built there despite a flood of opposition in the town.

Parents, residents and traders in the village have long campaigned for the facility to be sited on land close to the school, saying that to build it on Killick Way car park would be dangerous and mean a loss of parking spaces.

SureStart will develop four sites in West Somerset at Williton, Watchet, Alcombe and Dulverton while the district council is investing £750,000 into the scheme.

Each building will offer childcare places for youngsters up to the age of four, along with family support services, meeting rooms, kitchens and private interview rooms.

The work is being funded by SureStart West Somerset, West Somerset District Council and the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative and should be completed by April 2004.