A planning application has been submitted to Somerset Council to demolish a two-storey extension at the Haskins Retail Centre in Shepton Mallet.

The structure, attached to the north side of the vacant car showroom on Townsend, was previously used to store vehicle tyres on the ground floor, with a plant room on the first floor. According to planning documents, the extension is no longer needed and could be removed to make the site more flexible for future tenants.

The proposed demolition would form part of a wider tidy-up of the site, with the area cleared, levelled and finished with tarmac to provide additional parking. The application notes that removing the extension would help 'regulate the shape' of the building for potential sub-division later down the line.

A specialist demolition contractor would be appointed to carry out the work, though no date has been set. A full construction method statement and health and safety plan would be submitted before any work begins.

If approved, the demolition would restore the original look of the building's north elevation, with brickwork and metal cladding reinstated where needed. The showroom itself remains vacant and is being marketed for new use.

The application was submitted under prior notification rules, meaning the council must consider whether further details are required before any demolition can go ahead.