A VACANT office building in Highbridge could be turned into a new veterinary practice as plans have been submitted to Somerset Council.

The Bridge Veterinary Surgery, which has a practice in Highbridge on Worston Road, plans to 'relocate and expand an existing practice' to the empty offices at Unit 4, Works 22, Bennett Road.

All of the staff at the current practice would be retained, and two new additional jobs would be created.

If plans are approved, the two-storey building would be converted to become a new vets for small animals, made up of four consultation rooms.

The practice, suited best to family pets, would be open from 8:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays. An out of hours visiting service will also be offered.

Speaking on plans to renovate the building, a spokesperson for the Bridge Veterinary Surgery wrote in the application: "The change of use involves minor external changes to doors and windows and the installation of an external lift and the instillation of an external gas storage unit, external plant, and dog walking area.

"These are all standard requirements for a veterinary practice."

Speaking further on the proposed dog walking area, they wrote: "As a small animal veterinary practice, a small enclosed external dog walking area is necessary to allow brief exercise sessions for dogs.

"This external enclosed area can have various surface treatments, fencing options and dimensions."

The applicant plans to utilise the existing 31 parking spaces on the site for customer usage.

"This is an ideal provision for the proposed veterinary practice, and it will ensure adequate parking is available for staff and visitors," they wrote in the planning application.

The proposed site of the new practice - Unit 4 on the Works 22 industrial estate -  was formerly occupied by Colus, a water utility company which has since closed down.

For more information on the plans, search reference number 11/24/00025 on Somerset Council's online planning portal.

Public consultation on the plans is now open, and comments are welcomed until Friday, May 24 - approval could be given from the following day.