PLANS for a new children's centre in Burnham have been given the green light. The facility will be built in Winchester Park Road, opposite Burnham County Infants School. The centre will offer help for parents to access training and employment and special

PLANS for a new children's centre in Burnham have been given the green light.The facility will be built in Winchester Park Road, opposite Burnham County Infants School. The centre will offer help for parents to access training and employment and specialist services such as speech therapy as well as providing childcare in the area.At a meeting on Wednesday, Sedgemoor District Council's Executive agreed to the proposals, on certain conditions, including the income of the ground rent being given to parks and open spaces.There are currently five children's centres in the area, four in Bridgwater and one in Highbridge. Somerset County Council is implementing a programme to deliver a network of 33 centres across the county. In 2006 Somerset County Council contacted Sedgemoor District Council to see if the land at Winchester Road could be released. Sedgemoor agreed on principle, but with alterations to the plans, which included access across the park from the entrance on Winchester Road. New proposals, submitted this year, include a large log cabin style building. The county council has also offered to make improvements to the park as compensation for the loss of space. This could include a path from the north of the park to the centre and improved drainage systems for the former football pitch, putting it back in to use. Sedgemoor District Council, the police and Winchester Road Local Action Team delivered over 250 leaflets to households in the area explaining the proposals and inviting residents to join a local consultation group. This resulted in a few people showing an interest, but no strong objections. The planning proposals will now go before Somerset County Council, which will consider Sedgemoor's conditions.