Plans for changes to the outside of a Grade II listed shop in Wells High Street have been approved by Mendip District Council.

A planning application for minor alterations to the shop front and sign at 56 High Street, Wells, had been submitted by Mr Dickson Lau.

Until recently, the building was the Sante wine shop and the proposals were to deepen the shop front sign, and to revise the configuration of the existing shop front to introduce single pane windows to replace the multi pane windows and simplify the front door, again to remove the intermediate glazing bars to the existing glazed panel, with all joinery to be re-painted white.

Wells City Council said they were sympathetic to the desire to change the frontage but felt that the applicant would benefit from consultation with Mendip conservation officers regarding the style and paint colour.

In approving the application, the planning officer said: "It is assessed that the proposal would be in keeping with the surrounding area, would have no impact on the neighbouring residential amenity and would not result in any harm to the listed building or Wells Conservation Area."

Planning applications in the Wells area that have been submitted to Mendip District Council this week include:

Erection of an attached dwellinghouse at 28A Hervey Road, Wells, has been applied for by Mr D Rowe.

Removal of sand cement render to flank elevation (first, second and attic floor levels) and replacement with traditional lime render at East Court, Doctors Hill, Wookey, is wanted by Ms L Page.

Demolition of garage and erection of garden room at More House, The Street, Chilcompton, has been applied for by Mr and Mrs Love.

Erection of single-storey timber conservatory at 2 Teulon Court, St Thomas Street, Wells, is wanted by Mr and Mrs Mayer.

Erection of a lean-to store and insertion of two dormer windows and a roof light at 1 Poplar Farm Cottages, Easton, has been applied for by Mr Nick Moody.

T1 - ash - fell (possibly TPO M318) at Westfield House, Old Frome Road, Wells, is wanted by Duke Ebenezer, who also applied at the same address for works to trees in a Conservation Area willow (T2) - re-pollard willow back to previous pruning points (estimated 30 per cent to 40 per cent reduction overall); mulberry (T3) - reduce extending lateral branches by two metres to sound pruning points and re-shape canopy (estimated 20per cent to 30 per cent reduction overall); weeping ash (T4) - section fell to ground level; western red cedar (T5) - remove two north east limbs.

Planning applications in the Wells area that have been decided by Mendip District Council this week include:

Application to remove condition 3 (ancillary use - residential) of planning approval 2020/0564/FUL to enable unit 1 to be occupied as an independent open market dwelling at 1-2 The Mermaid Inn, Tucker Street, Wells, by Mr Sam James has been refused.

Replacement of asbestos roof to garden store with slate at Eagle House, The Street, Chilcompton, by Mr D Naish has been approved.

Widening of dropped kerb at 6 Martins Close, Wells, by Mrs Clark has been approved.

Non-material amendment to permission 2019/0888/HSE (proposed erection of a two-storey annex to the rear of Grade II listed farmhouse, including re-modelling of existing retaining wall and rear garden and associated internal alterations to existing farmhouse) at Ash Tree Farm, Old Ditch, Westbury-sub-Mendip, by Amanda Matthews has been refused.