PLANS to create six apartments above the former Clinton Cards shop in Bridgwater have been submitted.

The scheme would see the upper two storeys of the grade II-listed building at 15 Fore Street adapted to create the apartments, with a shop remaining at ground level.

Clinton Cards closed in July 2020 and has been vacant ever since, with the application saying “the condition of the building, particularly internally, is such that significant repair and maintenance is required”.

“Investment is therefore essential to bring the building up to acceptable standards, and to enhance the intrinsic character of the heritage asset,” it said.

“As such, the building needs to make better use of its potential assets to avoid the risk of any future use or development becoming economically unviable.”

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As well as a change of use application to allow the apartments, listed building consent is also being sought on behalf of Project Fabrications.

“The building is currently vacant across all floors and is in essential need of repair and maintenance,” the application said.

“Changing the upper floors to an economically beneficial use is therefore fundamental to the future viability of the building, while enhancing the intrinsic character of the historic building.”

The apartments would all be one-bedroom, with access through the rear of the building, allowing the commercial premises to the front to remain.

A communal bin storage area will be created in the rear yard, along with parking for up to four cars, and cycle storage.

For more details on the scheme, and to comment, log on to somerset.gov.uk and search application reference 08/25/00070.