A FARM in a hamlet near Taunton that houses a former prisoner of war camp could be converted into a yoga retreat.

A planning application has been submitted to Somerset West and Taunton Council for a series of works at Pickney Farm, near Kingston St Mary.

The application seeks to convert and change the use of outbuildings on the site, to build an extension, to create a yoga studio, communal lounge and three holiday cabins.

The site currently features a house, a holiday let, workshop, and disused piggery, POW barracks and dutch barn.

A number of the buildings are in a state of disrepair, according to the planning application.

At present the farm puts on Alpaca Experiences, giving guests educational walks around the land and the chance to hand feed the animals.

Yoga sessions are held in the open air on the fields, while two glamping pitches are available for hire and the holiday let has been recently renovated.

A statement with the planning application says: "This application seeks to reuse the existing disused buildings on site where possible to create a yoga studio and three new holiday cabins for guests to come and stay creating a yoga retreat on site.

"The yoga retreat will expand on the existing business on site utilising the serene nature of the site and providing a beautiful experience for people to use as a holiday retreat.

"The third building will be re-purposed as an communal lounge where guests can eat together and have an activity space."

The holiday cabins will contain a kitchen/diner, living area, shower room and bedroom.

The dutch barn will feature a two-storey yoga studio, meeting space, office, massage and storage rooms

The communal lounge will be in the former POW barracks, along with service space for laundry and storage

A new set of stables would house the alpacas.

The applicants say the proposals would result in "minimal building waste and the construction process would use 60 per cent less timber than a standard build.

They add that the project "far surpasses standard construction in terms of air tightness, saving on heating costs".