CONSTRUCTION of a 138-bed hotel in North Petherton is set to commence early next year.

Plans to build the new Holiday Inn, on land designated the Bridgwater Gateway, off Huntworth Roundabout, were approved at a Sedgemoor District Council development committee meeting on Tuesday, August 29.

The project, from Zeal Hotels, first gained permission in 2015 to be built with 120 bedrooms. In 2016 this was increased to 128, and has now had a further 10 rooms added.

Building work is set to start in January next year, with a completion date aiming to be open by Christmas 2018.

“We are really pleased to be able to offer more accommodation to the area,” said Tim Wheeldon, managing director, Zeal Hotels.

“We are hoping to be on-site in January, and open by Christmas.

“Bridgwater’s requirements will only grow with the Hinkley C project. Currently people are travelling in on a 45-minute drive to get to the site.

“We hope it will help in terms of tourism, providing a stop for people on the M5 making their way into the South West.

“We are really looking forward to offering more accommodation in the area.”

Under the current permission, there will be 60 parking spaces available at the site.

The plan was initially opposed by North Petherton Town Council over concerns there was not enough parking spaces and that the build was constitute over-development of the site.

Town councillors are still opposed to the build now the permission has been granted.

Deputy town mayor Marion Denham said: “We still don’t believe there are enough parking spaces.

“Hinkley workers will all have cars, they’ll drive down on a Sunday night and it will stay there until the next Friday.

“The staff will need to park, too.

“Traffic will get worse and waiting times will get longer.

“If there’s an accident on the M5, we are already blocked in north and south. You never know how much time you need to allow if you need to leave your house as it is.

“We worry what happens when Hinkley Point C has been built, as we have hotels with empty rooms now.

“The height of the building is also a concern. What if you can see it from the Quantocks? It will be an eyesore.

"We appreciate the need might be there at the moment but we needed more consideration for people's lives."