Local News Thursday 23rd March

Thursday, 23 March 2023 06:00

Plans have been submitted to redevelop the site of Yeovil College. A Somerset man has been jailed for three years for importing drugs into the UK. Yeovil-based Screwfix has bought a business out of administration saving 400 jobs. An empty building in Chard, earmarked for demolition, won’t now be knocked down. A Somerset man has been chosen to feature in a new fundraising campaign for guide dogs...and more.

Plans have been submitted to redevelop the site of Yeovil College. If approved, a number of the older buildings, including the main Kingston building, would be demolished and replaced by three new buildings. The plans also include a one-way internal through-road linking the A37 Ilchester Road and Mudford Road.

A Somerset man has been jailed for three years for importing drugs into the UK. Robert Lane was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court after pleading guilty to offences relating to cocaine and cannabis. He was caught when Border Foe officials intercepted a parcel addressed to his home in Somerset containing an estimated five-thousand pounds worth of cannabis.

Yeovil-based Screwfix has bought a business out of administration saving 400 jobs. Connect Distribution Services in Birmingham which retails homewares and accessories was facing closure. The buyout, worth three million pounds, will see Screwfix, which is part of the same retail group as B&Q, operating Connect Distribution Services as a going concern, acquiring its e-commerce platforms, stock, intellectual property and product data.

A Somerset man has been chosen to feature in a new fundraising campaign for guide dogs. Appearing on social media, In the campaign on social media, Alex Gosney is seen asking the public to donate generously so that more guide dogs can be trained.

An empty building in Chard, earmarked for demolition, won’t now be knocked down. The former ACI building off Silver Street next to the new Chard Leisure complex has been given a reprieve pending further enquiries into how it might be given a new purpose.

Roads across Yeovil will be closed on Sunday for the Yeovil Half Marathon. The roads affected include Addlewell Lane, South Street, Park Street, Brunswick Street, Hendford, Silver Street, Middle Street and Market Street. Sherborne Road up to Pen Mill Hotel will also be closed. The race starts in South Street outside the library and makes its way to Montecute House before the runners return to the finish line in the Quedam Shopping Centre.

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Thursday 29th January

Somerset Council has warned that more homes are likely to flood with further heavy rain forecast to end the week. Discount retailer, The Original Factory Shop, which has an outlet in Crewkerne, has gone into administration. A Barista at Costa Coffee in Ilminster has won a place in the finals of a national competition...and more
Wednesday 28th January

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has announced plans to develop a new operational base on the Leonardo airfield in Yeovil. Several people have been rescued from their homes in Ilminster due to flooding. An £800,000 project is underway to restore two staircases at Montecute House...and more
Tuesday 27th January

Last week was the wettest seven-day period in Somerset for twelve years. NHS Somerset says it’s working towards making access to dental care fairer for all. A scout leader in Somerset has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Young People...and more
Monday 26th January

A new group has been formed to challenge plans to build 100 new homes in Keinton Mandeville. Bridgwater Town Council has voted to increase its share of the Council Tax by 5%. Organisers of Yeovil in Bloom are appealing for young people to get involved in this year’s competition...and more
Friday 23rd January

New data shows that South Western Ambulance is one of the worst-performing ambulance trusts in England. Plans to introduce improved accessibility at Yeovil Junction station have moved a step closer. A community centre in Street is providing vulnerable people with a warm, safe place to meet...and more.
Thursday 22nd January

A new NHS diagnostic centre has opened in Yeovil. The go-ahead has been given to build a replacement school for Milford Junior School in Yeovil. A new 500-bed hotel-style campus is being planned to accommodate workers at the new Agratas car battery factory near Bridgwater...and more
Wednesday 21st January

Councillors have approved controversial plans to build four large carnival club sheds near Ilminster. Somerset Council says there's an increasing gap between the cost of education and the amount the government provides to run local schools. The Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, aimed at protecting homes and businesses from flooding, has been reduced in size...and more
Tuesday 20th January

Citizens Advice says thousands of people in Somerset have lost some or all of their council tax discount. The UK's first autonomous full-size helicopter, manufactured by Leonardo in Yeovil, has successfully completed its maiden flight. A new pharmacy has opened in Wincanton...and more