Plans for the first new council homes in Minehead for a generation will be formally submitted within the next two months.

Somerset West and Taunton Council approved proposals for two new council housing schemes in late-December 2020, delivering a total of 65 properties across two sites.

The council ran a brief consultation with Minehead residents in January over one of the proposals, which would see 54 new homes built on Seaward Way near the town's community hospital.

Officers have now confirmed a planning application for these homes will be formally submitted for further consultation in the coming weeks, with construction expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

New artist's impressions of the homes were published as part of a wider update which came before the council's tenants strategic panel when it met virtually on Monday evening (January 25).

Chris Brown, the council's assistant director for redevelopment and regeneration, said: "We've got a very large programme of house-building ahead.

"The Minehead community is currently being consulted on this scheme of 54 units through social media and other formats. The scheme will be submitted to planning in the next two months.

"This scheme will be zero carbon and delivered by the autumn of 2023."

The new homes will be constructed next to new industrial units on Seaward Way, with the council hoping it can begin building by the summer.

The scheme in its current form will comprise ten two-bedroom houses, seven three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom houses, alongside with 17 one-bed and 15 two-bed flats.

There will also be one wheelchair-adapted two-bed flat and two wheelchair-adapted chalet bungalows.

Speaking in early-January, Councillor Fran Smith – the council's portfolio holder for housing – said: "We have committed to delivering 1,000 new homes across the district over the next 30 years, providing more housing to suit different members of the community.

"The development at Minehead is one of our first social rented housing schemes in the area for many years."

The other recently-agreed housing scheme – the conversion of The Oxford Inn pub in Taunton into 11 new properties – is expected to be completed by the spring of 2023, but no consultation or timeline for a planning application has yet been announced by the council.