Published: March 1, 2007
Exclusive: Huge £240,000 overhaul for former Burnham-On-Sea landfill site

A former rubbish tip in Burnham-On-Sea which has been left untouched for almost 20 years is set to become a children's play area and public amenity space as part of a £240,000 project.

Burnham-On-Sea.com understands Sedgemoor District Council, which owns the land next to Lawrence Close on the Rosewood Farm Estate, has this week formally applied for permission to construct the facility.

"The proposal includes the formation of a public open space including children's play area, multi-use games area, surfaced paths, cycle way, jogging track and landscaping," district councillor Bob Filmer told Burnham-On-Sea.com.

The former landfill site has had to be left unused for several years while dangerous emissions and gasses were left to escape from the rotting material underneath.

But the new application will breathe a new lease of life to the land as it becomes a public amenity area. The application has just been lodged this week and will be open to public consultation over the next few weeks.

Local ward councillors - Cllr Bob Filmer (Brent Knoll Ward) and Cllr Arthur Thorogood (South Burnham Ward) - are particularly keen to support the landscaping of the former landfill site and have been instrumental in its development.

The preparation of a site-specific remediation plan has also been undertaken to allow landscaping works to proceed in an appropriate manner. Once planning permission has been granted the Council will need to consider the funding of the remediation before landscape works can commence.