EDITORIAL NOTE: Accompanying footage for this story can be sent via WeTransfer, please email: daniel.mumby@reachplc.com.

Ambitious plans to improve one of Shepton Mallet’s key green space have been given the green light by the town council.

Collett Park lies immediately to the east of the town centre, a stone’s throw from Whitstone Stone, the Townsend Shopping Park (which includes the town’s Tesco superstore) and a planned development of 620 homes south of the A371 Cannard’s Grave Road.

The park serves as the eastern terminus of the Strawberry Line active travel route and lies a short distance from a separate multi-user path being constructed over the disused Bath Road viaduct.

Shepton Mallet Town Council has now voted to move forward with the next phase of revamping the park, adding new facilities and improving transport links to and from the site.

The proposed changes for this next phase will include:

Fully accessible toilets with baby changing facilities and a changing place unit

New and improved cycle pathways, linking the south of Shepton Mallet to the town centre and out to Wells

A safer, more welcoming and accessible entrance to the park

A multi-purpose building which includes a café, versatile indoor seating for community use, and covered outdoor seating to allow for year-round use

These additional are designed to create “a more enjoyable and diverse experience for park users and residents”, encouraging both physical and mental health and well-being, as well as boosting town centre footfall.

This vote comes shortly after the installation of a new footbridge over the B3136 West Shepton, providing a long-overdue pedestrian and cycling connection between the town centre and the West Shepton Playing Fields.

This bridge forms part of the Strawberry Line active travel route, which will eventually run uninterrupted from Collett Park to Yatton railway station via Wells and Cheddar.

Councillor Garfield Kennedy said: “Collett Park is the jewel in Shepton’s crown that we are committed to maintaining to the highest standard.

“The first stage in that process has been achieved with the creation of the immensely popular new play equipment.

“Having accessible, modern facilities that are free to use are vital in any community and making our park fit and welcoming for the next 100 years is our aim.”

Collett Park was donated to the town’s people by John Kyte Collett and is held in trust by the Collett Park Charity, which is managed by the town council.

“The improvements are expected to cost between £700,000 and £900,000, funded through the town council’s precept (its share of council tax bills) and a ten-year loan from the Public Works Loan Board (part of the UK Treasury).

Both the town council and the Collett Park Charity will be seeking external grants and donations on top of this, with the lease of the café space expected to partially offset the cost to taxpayers.

The council will now appoint a design team to commence work on architectural drawings and visual representations of the space.

As part of the process, another phase of public consultation will take place early in the new year, allowing residents to further inform the project.

For more information on the project, visit www.sheptonmallet-tc.gov.uk.