Plans to improve Weston High Street shops

A planning application has been submitted on North Somerset Council’s behalf outlining proposals to renovate and restore three shops on Weston’s High Street.

This project is part of North Somerset Council’s ambitious placemaking vision for the town, made possible thanks to the authority’s successful bid for £20 million from the UK government’s Levelling Up Fund.

Permission is being sought by Carter Jonas, the property consultancy and estate agent, to:

• Remove the existing shopfront, signage and roller shutter door at 57 High Street, a currently vacant unit previously occupied by ‘Fone Zone’, and replace the shopfront.
• Join together 67 High Street, currently operating as ‘Fone Fixers’, and a vacant unit at 69 High Street, following commercial advice suggesting that would increase appeal from prospective businesses. This would include removing the roller shutter door at 67 and replacing both shopfronts with a new double bay shopfront.

The replacement shopfronts have been designed in keeping with the council’s Shopfront Design Guide.

The council plans to fully refurbish these three units, as well as neighbouring 73 High Street, currently operating as Weston Artspace, with a view to attracting occupiers to create jobs in the town. As with all Levelling Up projects, the work will include installing energy efficiency improvements to help new occupiers offset premises costs.

If planning permission is approved, the work is intended to start soon and aims to complete by the end of 2024.

Councillor Mark Canniford, the council's Liberal Democrat executive member responsible for placemaking, as well as local ward member, said: “I’m pleased to see these proposals being submitted for planning approval. If approved, the work would see vast improvement to more Victorian buildings in the heart of Weston’s town centre.

“With Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone ending this month, it’s really encouraging to see that we’re continuing the legacy of that scheme through sympathetic enhancement of more shopfronts. This project would not only make a positive difference to the buildings’ physical appearance but would encourage businesses to occupy a previously empty unit, encouraging more footfall and trade into the town.”