PROPOSALS for the creation of 14 houses at the site of Clevedon Cottage Hospital have been approved.

Outline plans for the facility in Old Street were submitted to North Somerset Council by NHS North Somerset in the hope of making the site more attractive to buyers once a new community hospital in Millcross is complete.

The organisation has a duty to ensure it gains the maximum financial gain from the sale of the land.

At a meeting of North Somerset Council’s north area planning committee on Thursday, members approved the proposals, which will see all but the former stone barn and matron’s house demolished to make way for new homes.

The first set of plans to be submitted would have seen all the current buildings demolished. However, after concerns were raised about the historical significance of the older sections, the plans were changed.

Once the Old Street site is sold, any developer will then need to submit a full planning application containing much more detail for approval by North Somerset Council.At Thursday’s meeting, plans to change the use of The Seasons offices, which are also on the hospital site, were approved, allowing them to be sold on as separate offices to the rest of the area.