Coastal village to get new arcade near holiday park

The arcade lies opposite the entrance to the Pontins holiday park

A new arcade will be built in a coastal village opposite the entrance to a Pontins holiday park.

Developer J. Holland & Sons Ltd. has been given permission to tear down Carefree Amusements arcade in Brean, Somerset, and replace it with a new arcade.

The pavements along Knoll Park will also be improved and the car parking will be relocated.

A Somerset Council planning committee unanimously backed the plans on 14 May.

Seven new flats will be created on a new first floor above the arcade, six of which will be advertised as holiday lets.

Pontins is currently being used to accommodate up to 900 Hinkley Point C workers, in a deal which runs until 2026.

The owner of the current arcade applied to build a new one in its place

Councillor Gill Slocombe said: “This is going to be a massive benefit economically to lots of people, and visually it’s going to be a vast improvement.”

The developer claims changes to parking and the pavement will provide safer pedestrian access to the nearby properties and down towards the beach.

Councillor Tony Grimes added: “I don’t have any problems with this.

“I know the area very well – there are a lot of family arcades and holiday lets in the area, and it just sits in the right place.”

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.