A HOLIDAY park's plans to replace a café and bar with a new restaurant have been approved by Somerset Council.

In January, proposals were lodged to build the new eatery on the site of The Cider Barn, which is located next to Strawberryfield Park, near Cheddar. 

Strawberryfield Park opened in March 2013 and contains 24 holiday lodges, but is set to expand after it was granted permission for 11 more holiday units. 

The Cider Bar will be demolished to make way for the new restaurant, which will see an increase in the number of staff members employed at the site.

A former dog grooming parlour located near The Cider Barn will be changed into staff welfare facilities and a manager's office under the plans. 

Salmon Planning Company submitted the proposals on behalf of the applicant, who owns Strawberryfield Park and The Cider Barn.

The application was approved by Somerset Council on July 14. 

When the plans were lodged, the application said: “The applicant, alongside his tenant who runs The Cider Barn, has developed a successful business but he is mindful that the appearance of The Cider Barn, and the adjoining land, does not reflect the quality of the surrounding rural landscape and ambience of Strawberryfield Park.

“Consequently, there is an opportunity to both improve the character and quality of the site's appearance and to develop the business to meet its full potential. 

“The application therefore proposes to demolish The Cider Barn and erect a new replacement building that would be a restaurant and bar.”

It added: “Immediately to the south of The Cider Barn is a detached single-storey building which was formerly a dog-grooming parlour.

“This application also seeks to change this existing building into staff welfare facilities and a manager’s office, used ancillary to the new restaurant/bar.

“This element of the proposal would be a change of use only with no external changes proposed to the building.”

Currently, seven staff members are employed at The Cider Barn in part-time roles.

The new site is expected to employ four full-time staff and up to 14 part-time workers including chefs, bar staff, kitchen porters, waiting staff and cleaners.

It will serve holiday park guests and Draycott residents, who can walk or cycle to the site on a pedestrian footpath along the A371.

The proposals said: “In this context, the proposal is not a speculative but instead seeks to serve the existing needs of the holiday guests who are already present here.

“By providing new and improved restaurant and bar facilities, the proposal will increase the patronage of the premises by guests at the holiday park, many of whom currently travel to other places to seek quality restaurant provision.”

Cheddar Parish Council supported the plans “as an improvement to the site” but “with the condition that the development to be connected to mains drainage”.

One of the planning conditions is that the building “shall only discharge foul water via connection to the Wessex Water main sewer”. 

Demolition and construction work can only be carried out between 7am and 6pm on weekday and 8am and 1pm on Saturdays.