Cheddar: Plans to transform Somerset tourist hotspot revealed

Sedgemoor District Council has released this artists impression of how Cliff Street could look

Details of four schemes which are aimed at transforming a Somerset tourism hotspot have been revealed.

The projects in Cheddar, Highbridge and Shepton Mallet could be funded with a £19.3m government grant, following a bid from two local councils.

If a bid is successful, it is hoped that Cheddar will recover from a drop in tourism income during the pandemic.

The projects will be delivered at the end in 2025 by Somerset Council, a new unitary authority.

Cheddar welcomes around 500,000 visitors a year, and accounts for 49% of tourist day trips to Somerset, according to Sedgemoor District Council.

But the pandemic had "substantial financial implications" for the village, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A council spokesman said: "Communities such as Cheddar have suffered disproportionately, and the absence of spending has contributed to the challenges facing tourist and urban centres."

The Tweentown roundabout would feature new cycle parking and electric bicycle hire

The four projects proposed for Cheddar are:

• Enhancing the Tweentown road network and improving the Cliff Street car park

• Enhancing the Cheddar Gorge and Caves car park

• Revamping the area around the former Cox's Mill Hotel

• Improving Gough's Cave and the surrounding land

Mendip District Council and Sedgemoor District Council, who submitted the bid for funding, plan to use the money on refurbishing footpaths, traffic calming measures and creating new crossing points.

A decision is expected by the end of January on whether the funding will be granted.

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