YOU can check out today (Thursday, July 28) proposals for a care home and shops on the site of a town centre eyesore.

You will be able to inspect the early design plans, which will need planning permission before work proceeds, at a public exhibition at CICCIC, in Paul Street, from 4pm to 6pm.

Further public exhibitions are taking place tomorrow (Firday, July 29) from 10am to 6pm and on Saturday (July 30) from 10am to 2pm at the same venue.

Quantock House, a vacant eyesore seven-storey 1960s office block previously used by Government departments, is being bulldozed to make way for the 60-bed care home.

Bournemouth-based Quantum Group also hopes to build 61 extra care units and shared facilities on the site, off Mary Street and Paul Street.

Work has already started on clearing the building ahead of demolition, which will involve taking down the construction one level at a time.

Quantock House used to house the Valuation Office and Defra, but has been empty for several years and has deteriorated to such an extent that it has been surrounded by safety scaffolding to prevent parts of its collapsing.

Somerset County Gazette:

Taunton Deane Borough Council worked with Quantum over several months to tidy up a number of title issues arising from a time when the authority owned the site prior to 1962.

If you can't make it to the exhibitions, then check out this site later on for details and more images and see next Thursday's County Gazette.