Planning application submitted to turn former M&S site into 20 studio flats for visitors

The owner of the former M&S store on the High St in Weston-super-Mare had submitted a planning application to North Somerset Council to convert the first floor of the property into 20, 2 bedroom studios for visitors to the town.

The application submitted to North Somerset Council details the “proposed partial renovation and Change of Use of first-floor commercial area to form 20 serviced apartments/short-term holiday lets”

A second application process has also seemingly been submitted to convert the first and second floors into 9 apartments as an alternative plan.

Fesal Sohail, speaking to Weston Independent News said: “This building has stood empty on Weston’s High Street for more than seven years. I want to bring it back to life, and give the town something it badly needs: good places for visitors to stay.

Weston is brilliant at bringing people in, but there’s very little modern accommodation in the town centre, so most visitors come for the day and go home.

Every one of those day trips that becomes an overnight stay is a meal out, a drink in a local pub, more time in the shops and a reason to come back.

Our plans for 20 modern, spacious studios would welcome up to 40 guests a night, all year round, right in the heart of the town. That means more customers for local businesses, more life in the town centre in the evenings, local jobs, and one of the biggest empty buildings on the High Street back in use.

I believe this is good for Weston, and I hope the town will get behind it.”