A major makeover of an empty office building in Midsomer Norton could see the creation of a 30-bedroom hotel and serviced business park along with more than 150 new jobs.

The plans were exclusively unveiled to the Somerset Guardian this week by Kate Shakespeare, manager of the Somer Valley Enterprise Park, home of the former national headquarters of DIY chain Focus, opposite Tesco at Old Mills, near Paulton.

The business park is already a base for solar panel company A Shade Greener and a number of smaller businesses but it is hoped that if the plans go ahead the local economy could see a massive boost with the transformation of the 1980s office building into a modern business hub, conference centre, budget hotel with a bar and restaurant, children's nursery and more.

Ms Shakespeare, who took over the role in April while Focus was still using the building as an IT help desk, said the aim is to create a "one stop shop" for all business and enterprises including offering serviced office space to rent, workshop space, conference facilities and "hot desks", which would be available to rent for a little as an hour at a time.

Ms Shakespeare said: "We did a lot of street market research to find out the visions for the community and what the problems are and what was needed to make those visions happen.

"We found that four per cent of people in the Norton-Radstock area work from home and 66 per cent of people travel to work in Bath or Bristol, which is the highest commuter figure in the South West. People told me they spent a large proportion of their wages on petrol and that it was difficult to find affordable office space."

Having a children's nursery for up to 70 children is one of the ways the enterprise park aims to help working parents.

Ms Shakespeare said: "I want to take away the barriers to make it easier for working parents to do their job. I have a son myself who is now at Norton Hill School but when he was younger it was difficult fitting work in around caring for him. The creche will mean if mum or dad is working in one of the offices they would find it easier to spend time with their children during the day."

The idea is the brainchild of Stewart Davis, the managing director of A Shade Greener. The company moved into its southern headquarters in October and since then has thrived, creating almost 80 jobs and fitting solar panels to about 30 homes a week.

Other success stories at the park include Simple Recruitment, Prison Technology Services and Bath Beating Anger Management, who are among the eight businesses that have moved to the building to expand in recent months.