benefit visitors.

Historic home "Springfield'' has stood next to the Gilbert Nature Reserve since it was built last century.

But apart from the view over the nature reserve from the house, the two have always been separate.

Now the National Trust has been given conditional permission to base a tea shop in Springfield, which will serve visitors to the nature reserve.

Springfield housed the Somerset Library until it closed in April.

Plans to turn it into a tea room have been in the pipeline since the closure of the library was announced last year.

Mrs. Penny Terceira, who will run the tea shop, said: "I have been working on this for a whole year so I am thrilled to get this news. It will be a Victorian tea room set in the rooms that used to be the library.'' Mrs. Terceira is surprised that the Development Applications Board has asked for better access to be provided to the site.

She said: "In the past they had the library and a public nursery and they never had any problems.'' National Trust Director Ms Amanda Outerbridge said Springfield has been empty since April when the mobile library was introduced.

"We find the idea of the tea shop favourable especially with the nature reserve next door,'' she said. "We want something accessible to the public and a tea shop fits the bill. It will bring people in who will be able to walk around the pretty nature reserve.''