The former site where one of Somerset’s oldest newspapers was printed for more than a century will soon be replaced by new homes and offices.

The West Somerset Free Press has operated from its base on the A39 Long Street in Williton since its foundation by Samuel Cox in 1860.

Tindle News Group Ltd. – which purchased the newspaper from the Cox family in 1980 – applied to convert the redundant print works behind the current offices into five new homes and a commercial space for local businesses.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has now given the green light for these plans, allowing the brownfield site to be sensitively redeveloped and helping to secure the paper’s future in the village.

Following the newspaper’s acquisition by Tindle, the printing operations were moved off-site, with the buildings becoming a “significant liability” for the West Somerset Free Press as people’s means of consuming local news has changed in the last 20 years.

Under the proposals, some of the redundant buildings will be demolished, with others being converted, to provide a mixture of new flats and cottages, along with a two-storey commercial base.

The new developments will be accessible from the B3191 North Street, with car parking being provided near the cottages.

The existing newspaper officers on Long Street will not be significantly changed and will remain open throughout the construction period.

Councillor Loretta Whetlor, who represents Watchet and Williton, made her opposition to the plans clear when the council’s planning committee met in Taunton on September 15.

She said: “I’m not happy about this one. You’ll be able to park there, but you won’t be able to open your doors.

“I know that space very, very well. There is limited on-street parking – you cannot just leave your car there, day in, day out.

“Williton does not need any more housing – it needs more businesses to come in. I would much prefer to see these buildings converted for non-residential use – it’s just all wrong.”

Williton has received significant interest from housing developers in the last few years, with a series of major new developments being recently approved.

Linden Homes is currently constructing the Orchard Brook development of 90 homes on Doniford Road, which was approved by West Somerset Council in February 2019.

A further 350 homes could soon be delivered on the A39 Priest Street at the village’s western edge, with district councillors voting to approve plans in November 2021 despite fears it would turn Williton into “the Milton Keynes of the south-west”.

On the commercial site, J. Gliddon and Sons Ltd. secured permission in September 2021 to redevelop the land behind its store on the A39 Bank Street, delivering a new supermarket, retail units, food and drink outlets and health services.

Despite councillors’ reservations, the committee voted to approve the plans by a margin of five votes to three.