PLANS are being put in place to double the amount of car parking spaces in North Petherton Community Centre's car park.

The car park became a source on controversy in the town earlier this year as the Community Centre committee proposed installing automatic numberplate recognition (ANPR) system which proved unpopular with many residents.

Following discussions with North Petherton Town Council, the Community Centre committee looked at alternative solutions and within a matter of months a significantly different proposal is on the table which was met warmly by the town council at its meeting on Tuesday night (September 10).

The new plan includes knocking down the existing toilet block which are in need of costly repairs, and introducing two cheaper to maintain toilet 'pods' on the front of the Community Centre.

The extra room created by demolishing the toilets could create up to 35 new spaces, nearly doubling the size of the existing car park in the town centre.

A number of these spaces would then be let out to residents to help fund the ongoing costs of the car park.

A new point of access to the car park would be created with a new bridge over the stream, while the existing bridge would be turned into a footbridge.

A controlled height barrier would remain in replace restricting access to tourers and caravans.

The mayor of North Petherton Cllr Alan Bradford said: "A lot of thought has gone into this and personally I think it is going to work."

North Petherton Town Council had agreed to pay half of the architect's costs to develop the proposals, and agreed at Monday's meeting to support the plans in principle, with the committee's next step to get detailed costings.

"This is a big priority for North Petherton," Cllr Bradford said, "And I think we could assist with some of this finance to get this moving."