A SOMERSET councillor who was wrongly given planning permission for his business in Minehead has now seen his colleagues lawfully approve the plans.

Cllr Marcus Kravis, who sits on both Somerset Council and Minehead Town Council, wants to convert former public toilets into part of his sea front Arkade amusement centre.

He was given consent last year when an officer approved the plans without putting them to a committee.

The Somerset authority’s rules state applications by sitting councillors should be decided in public by a relevant committee for the decision to be seen as transparent.

Cllr Kravis, who pointed out the error to the council, agreed to make a new application rather leave the authority open to a potentially expensive legal challenge.

Now, members of the council’s planning committee have openly discussed the re-submitted plans and given formal approval.

Cllr Kavis told the committee: “The toilets have not been used since 2020.

“It was in 2022 that they were basically stripped of everything, boarded up, and closed up.

“The proposal brings dead space into productive use, with the former ladies’ toilets becoming additional ground floor space.

“This is a 1979 steel-framed commercial block, more akin to something on an industrial estate than a vibrant sea front.

“Despite my best efforts over the years to try and improve it, and I am still continuing to do so, it remains what it is.

“Once this is completed, it will enable in the future the former disabled toilets to be brought back into use with an internal entrance from the arcade.

“That would allow better facilities for our customers, and while this is dependent on funding, the works proposed today would make that future improvement possible.”

Cllr Steven Pugsley said: “This authority has now been seen to have done the right thing in making sure this application did come before this committee.”