A planning refusal linked to Shepton Mallet's former Amulet Theatre has gone to appeal.

Coxley Developments Limited, which owns the Amulet building, has submitted an appeal after Somerset Council refused proposals to convert the stage and dressing room areas into seven flats, alongside changes to the ground floor and access to the existing gym.

The appeal marks the latest stage in a long-running debate over the future of one of Shepton Mallet's most prominent town centre buildings.

The Amulet opened in 1974 after being gifted by the Showering family and operated for decades as a cultural and community venue.

The building has remained in private ownership. Mendip District Council later took a lease on the property for use as a civic building in the early 2000s, before buying itself out of that lease in 2006.

Plans for the site were refused by Somerset Council in August 2025.

The application includes seven flats, a glass frontage at ground-floor level facing the Market Place, a proposed retail unit, and a new entrance to the gym on the first floor, including a lift and disabled toilet.

A commercial gym currently operates from the building and has been based there for 13 years.

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The applicant says the proposals would improve the building's offer while retaining an independent gym in the town centre. The gym is said to have around 400 members and works with SASP and the NHS.

Planning officers said the application had not shown that retaining the building for community use was unviable.

They concluded that losing the space would cause "a significant level of harm to the sustainability of the town" and undermine policies designed to protect valued local assets.

The plans were also refused on heritage grounds.

Officers raised concerns about the proposed glass-fronted vestibule, describing it as visually dominant and likely to harm nearby listed buildings, the Grade II listed Market Cross and the Shepton Mallet Conservation Area.

The applicant has argued that planning consent already exists for a much larger three-storey glass frontage at the building.

They said the latest proposed glass frontage would be smaller than the previously approved scheme.

The applicant had also argued that conversion was needed to help offset the cost of maintaining a large and underused building.

The proposals said the flats would make use of empty backstage and stage areas, with limited external changes.

Campaigners opposed to the appeal say the scheme would mean the permanent loss of Shepton Mallet's only large-scale performance venue.

In a statement, they said: "We intend to oppose this planning appeal because it would mean the permanent loss of Shepton Mallet's only large scale performance venue.

"There are many other empty buildings which could be converted for residential use but there are no other buildings with the potential of the Amulet; which could be easily reopened to provide us with much needed community space and to reinvigorate the town centre."

The "Let's Buy The Amulet" campaign has been working to bring the building into community ownership, with ideas including theatre, cinema, craft markets, cafés and wider arts use.

The group is understood to have around 300 supporters to date.

Supporters have previously said the building's Brutalist design and motorised ceiling make it a rare venue with potential to help revive the town centre.

The appeal will now be considered through the planning appeals process.

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