Plans for a £70,000 investment in one of Mendip's car parks have been given the go ahead this week.

Mendip District Council's planning board on Wednesday night gave permission for the revamp of Union Street car park in Wells as part of a project to improve safety, and make it a more shopper-friendly facility.

Work to improve the layout of the car park as well as resurfacing will start on January 21 and is expected to be completed by the end of February.

A series of signs has already been planned to promote 'business as usual' for traders near the car park and to redirect motorists to other car parks in the city while the work is carried out.

Mendip District Council will now continue its discussions, and hold regular meetings with businesses affected by the work to ensure disruption is minimised.

Access to businesses such as Andre's, Wells Toy and Model Shop and Whitings will be available while the work is carried out, but motorists are being warned that the car park will be closed for about five weeks.

It has been recognised that the flow of traffic in the car park causes some problems, and although no serious accident has yet happened, the council is taking a proactive approach to minimise any future dangers.

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As well as Mendip planners the idea also won the backing of Somerset Highways which stated that the scheme will be "an improvement to the way the car park operates" and that it will create a "better way or promoting the flow of traffic to reduce vehicles encountering each other suddenly."

Nicola Keyworth-Wright, car parks manager for Mendip District Council, said: "We have had health and safety experts look at the layout of this car park and raise some concerns about potential problems facing both motorists and pedestrians.

"Safety is top of our priority list and it is vital that we act on any potential risks before they happen. In this instance it makes much more sense to look at the whole car park and a number of other concerns which have been brought to our attention, such as the need for resurfacing and planting of new trees, instead of focussing on just one key issue."

The project, which will be led by qualified engineers working alongside a local firm with experience in similar projects, will also involve the replanting of new and healthier trees in the car park following an independent tree survey.

Much of the surface problems have been caused by the roots of some trees which were planted in the wrong sized pits many years ago. To overcome this, and to prevent future damage to the newly resurfaced car park, new specimens will be planted in the correct sized pits and given underground protection to secure their future.

Mendip District Council's portfolio holder for regeneration, Cllr John Osman who is also a city councillor in Wells, said: "Car parks are an important asset to the council and it's vital that we continually monitor their maintenance.

"The investment in Union Street car park will not only improve health and safety for motorists and pedestrians, but also provide a friendlier environment for people using this facility. The way that we are carrying out this project, by focussing on more than one issue, also demonstrates that we are a council committed to giving you value-for-money in the services we provide."

This latest car park investment project in Wells follows the success of changes made to the Princes Road car park which also underwent a health and safety revamp last year.

(GK/JM)