PLANS have been submitted to turn a wedding venue in the heart of Somerset into a residential development.

An application to turn Rookery Manor, in Edingworth near Weston-super-Mare, into houses was submitted in January this year.

The planning statement says the venue has had "no income since March 2020", "lost vast amounts of money" and the business is no longer operating.

It adds that the venue stopped trading at the end of August 2020 and "furniture and assets" are being sold off.

The proposal is to demolish all buildings and level the site - apart from the garage conversion on the west side.

The application states: "The business of Rookery Manor existed until March 2020. With the onslaught of the pandemic at the time, the business was unable to operate and consequently lost vast amounts of money.

"There has been no income since March and with great reluctance the finance lenders withdrew support and the business no longer operates.

"It is now a shell of redundant buildings and has become a brown field site.

"In line with the current planning policy, the owners seek to release money and partially recoup their losses through the sale of the site for residential development.

"The buildings will be of traditional design and sit easily within the landscape of this attractive area of Somerset countryside. The landscaping, currently being undertaken on the lodge development, will provide natural screening on the east, south and west boundaries. "

The application was submitted by Ian Clapp, who has declined to comment at this time.

The plans will now go before Sedgemoor District Council (SDC).

To view the application visit the SDC website, with the reference 24/20/00035.