Efforts to provide space for small businesses in Bruton have received a six-figure boost from central government.

Somerset County Council was invited to bid to the government's Getting Building Fund to deliver facilities which could drive economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic.

The council bid for funding for several projects, including additional facilities at the Bruton rural enterprise centre which began construction in November.

The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has now confirmed the facility will benefit from an additional £816,000 following a successful bid.

The rural enterprise centre is being constructed on council-owned land at Burrowfield on the A359 Frome Road, delivering a mixture of office space and light industrial units.

The council is contributing £1,279,723 of its capital programme towards the centre, with a further £712,000 coming from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The Getting Building Fund will provide an additional £816,000 to help deliver the light industrial aspect of the site, bringing the total cost of the facility to £2,807,723.

The council was informed in August that its bid had been successful, but the precise amount of LEP funding was only made public in late-November.

Ben Eve, the council's economic development support officer, said this funding was vital to delivering this additional phase of the rural enterprise centre.

He said: "At present, ERDF and council funding has been secured for the office component, with the LEP's Getting Building Fund supporting the delivery of seven light industrial units.

"Without this latter funding, it would not be possible to proceed with phase two of the enterprise centre, unless expenditure is covered by existing council reserves."