A SOMERSET football club has applied for permission to install new dugouts at their home ground.

Watchet Town FC, founded in 1887, has applied to Somerset Council for permission to build concrete-block dugouts at the Memorial Ground which comply to Football League standards – replacing removable timber structures currently being used.

“At the level of football the club plays, it is a league requirement that ‘dugouts’ for both home and away teams are provided,” the application said.

“The dugouts provide shelter and seating for team Coaches, medical personnel and substitute players close to the edge of the football pitch.

“The football club has been operating with portable timber dugout structures that have to be manually carried to the pitch side.”

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Due to the timber dugouts falling “into disrepair”, the application said they are in need of replacement.

“The manual lifting and carrying of the structures is not an ideal situation from various aspects, including personal safety,” the plans said. “Additionally, their size is needed to be increased.”

The proposed replacements were of “a simple form”, the plans said, built of concrete block walls, plastic-coated steel corrugated shooting to the roof, and a roller shutter door.

For more details on the plans, log on to somerset.gov.uk and search application reference 3/37/25/006.