A BRIDGWATER community centre has submitted plans to launch a food pantry to reduce food waste and help families save money.

Victoria Park Community Centre has proposed bringing a portable building to the site to house the volunteer-led initiative. 

The Containex-style unit would have two opening windows with shutters and an entrance door. It would be six metres long and 2.4 metres wide (20ft by 8ft).

If the plans are approved, the community group aims to open the pantry in February. Volunteers are currently being sought to help out every Tuesday.

In a Facebook post, a community group spokesperson said: “We are hoping to launch a food pantry at Victoria Park. 

“A food pantry is a way for local people to help with food waste and, for a small weekly fee, each household will get a selection of food that would otherwise have gone to waste that is usually worth four to five times the weekly fee amount.

“In order to run the pantry, we are looking for some volunteers to work at the pantry. 

“The pantry will run on Tuesday afternoons, so we are looking for volunteers to work between 12pm and 6pm on a Tuesday.

“Shifts can be split into a couple of hours or the whole afternoon and we hope to get enough volunteers that you may only be asked to work once or twice a month.”

The plans can be viewed on Sedgemoor District Council's planning portal (application number 08/22/00230). Public consultation began on Friday, January 6. 

Sedgemoor District Council planning list

The following planning applications were received by Sedgemoor District Council between January 5 and January 11, 2022.

For more details and to comment on applications, visit www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/planning.

Badgworth 

03/22/00015: Part retrospective change of use of land for the storage of 4 no. shipping containers in association with private and business use at Bow Farm, Bristol Road.

Bridgwater

08/22/00223: Erection of a single storey extension to the West elevation on site of existing (to be demolished) at 16 Hampton Close. 

08/22/00230: Siting of a 6m x 2.4m portable building to be used as a community pantry at Victoria Park Community Centre, Victoria Park Drive.

08/22/00231: Fire door installation to replace windows to South elevation and associated internal works at 19 High Street.

08/22/00232: Fire door installation to replace windows to South elevation and associated internal works at 19 High Street.

08/22/00233: Variations of Condition 2 of Planning Permission 08/21/00134 (Erection of a dwelling on site of existing detached garage to be demolished) to remove the first floor accommodation from the development on land to the north of 118 West Street.

East Brent

24/22/00039: Demolition of conservatory and the conversion of loft to form additional living accomodation, including a roof alterations and the installtion of 3no. rooflights to the South, West and East elevations. Erection of a new garden screening wall to the East and South elevation, and fenestration alterations at Niagara, East Brent.

24/22/00043: Application for site access from Old Bristol Road on land north of Old Bristol Road, Highbridge. 

Lympsham

31/22/00023: Erection of a two-storey extension with dormer to the SE elevation at Pix Barn, Rectory Way.

Mark

33/22/00052: Fell 1No. Ash tree (T39) (TPO Ref T16), Prune 1No. Beech (T47) (TPO Ref G1) to give 2m clearance from adjacent chimney stack. Fell 1No. Monterey Cypress (T48) (TPO Ref T17) at Sedgemoor Manor School, Blackford Road.

33/23/00001: Variation of Conditions 2 and 6 of Planning Permission ref. 33/21/00032 (Erection of 1no. single storey detached dwelling with the formation of new access) to vary approved plans and previously approved lux report at Vicarage Lane Farm, Vicarage Lane.

Otterhampton 

39/22/00012: Erection of round house welfare building on land at Steart Drove, Steart.

Shipham

44/22/00022: Siting of a storage container within forest on land at Rowberrow Warren. 

44/23/00001: Change of use of coach house accommodation to a holiday cottage, erection of a link extension to the swimming pool block, further extensions to the coach house along with internal and external alterations including new roofs and solar panels at The Old Rectory, Rowberrow Lane, Rowberrow, Winscombe.

44/23/00002: Change of use of coach house accommodation to a holiday cottage, erection of a link extension to the swimming pool block, further extensions to the coach house along with internal and external alterations including new roofs and solar panels at The Old Rectory, Rowberrow Lane, Rowberrow, Winscombe.

Wedmore

50/22/00080: Change of use of agricultural land to residential and the formation of new driveway access to Briar Hill House at Briar Hill House, Wells Road, Theale.

50/22/00116: Application to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed change of use of agricultural building to 2no. dwelling and associated operational development at Maldon Farm, Cocklake. 

50/22/00125: Reconstruction and conversion of 3no. barns into 3no. dwellings at Paradise Barton, High Street, Blackford.

50/22/00128: Change of use of ground floor shop premises from use Class E to dwelling house use Class C3, Internal alterations and replacement fenestration on ground floor east elevation at 1-2 King Alfred Mews, Church Street. 

50/22/00129: Change of use of ground floor shop premises from use Class E to dwelling house use Class C3, Internal alterations and replacement fenestration on ground floor east elevation at 1-2 King Alfred Mews, Church Street. 

Wembdon

50/23/00001: Variation of Condition 2 of Planning Permission ref: 50/21/00069 (Change of use and conversion of barns A & B to a dwelling. Erection of a two storey extension to (south) elevation of barn A and demolition of outbuildings C & D, and metal shed. Change of use of agricultural land to garden, driveway and parking. Erection of timber framed carport and garden store) to allow variation of approved plans. South View Farm, Lane From The Old Byre To Long Hill, Crickham.

51/22/00023: Erection of car port to the North East elevation (Retrospective) at 23 Oak Apple Drive. 

51/22/00040: Erection of 1no. single storey extension to the North elevation with external alterations at 9 Booth Way, Wembdon.

Planning applications and public notices can be found by visiting publicnoticeportal.uk.