A FORMER airfield storage building, a communication station,  a fully working theatre and a number of private residences are just some of the properties you may not necessarily expect your local council to own.

Somerset County Council publishes an annual list of its property holdings – a detailed, comprehensive account of every building or plot of land it owns or leases.

Most of the items on the list are things you would expect a local authority to own – schools, playing fields, council offices, allotments, children’s centres and a handful of farms.

But dig a little deeper and there’s a few unusual items lurking on the list as well.

Here’s 24 of the more unusual entries:

Coleford Scout Hut, Coleford (leasehold): this scout hut welcomes Beavers and Cubs on Wednesday evenings, and members of the East Somerset Scouts on Thursday nights.

The Merlin Theatre, Frome (freehold): sited within the grounds of Frome Community College, this theatre has been operating since 1974 and has enough space to seat 240 people. It describes itself as “a venue without pretention”, and hosts a mixture of professional and non-professional performance companies.

Frome Community College caretakers’ house, 98 Bath Road, Frome (freehold): this property is just a short distance from the college campus on the main road into Frome – though we don’t know whether the current caretaker resides there.

North Town Primary School caretakers’ house, 27 Staplegrove Road, Taunton (freehold): on a similar note, this unassuming property is located right next to this primary school right off a busy main road in Taunton town centre.

BAM FM production kitchen, Taunton (freehold): Catering company BAM FM uses this facility on Lyngford Road to prepare school meals for Somerset schools. According to St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School (one of its customers), the company provides meals for 2,700 Somerset schoolchildren every day.

Wellsprings Leisure Centre, Cheddon Road, Taunton (freehold): this leisure centre is currently operated by Everyone Active, who took over this and other centres in Taunton and Wellington on August 1.

65 Galmington Road, Taunton (freehold): this attractive semi-detached property is a stone’s throw from Musgrove Park Hospital, a major employer in this part of Taunton.

Cliff House, Bruton (owned trustees): this grade two listed property near Sexey’s School was constructed in 1820.

Little Cumery, Bruton (owned trustees): if you wanted to buy this property on Cole Road, it would set you back £621,000 according to Zoopla.

Lisbury House, Bruton (owned trustees): this building, which opened in 1983, is used for sixth formers boarding at Sexey’s School.

1-4 Sunnyhill Villas, Bruton (owned trustees): this collection of properties is at the northern end of the town, just a short distance from Bruton School for Girls.

Unit 15, Camelot Court, Somerton (leasehold): this unit within the Bancombe Road industrial estate is described as “an attractive, end terrace business unit” which is “fitted out for food production purposes”.

The Balsam Centre, Wincanton (leasehold): this popular venue near Wincanton Memorial Hall provides a range of services and runs groups designed to improve both children’s and adult’s mental health.

The Markwick Centre, Yeovil (freehold): on a similar note, this building on Dampier Street is currently used by mental health organisation South Somerset Mind as a drop-in centre.

Myrtle Cottage, East Lyng (leasehold): this attractive property on the Somerset Levels is a short commuting distance from Taunton and will, according to Zoopla, set you back £327,000.

Former airfield chipping store, Westonzoyland (freehold): this store for loose chippings to repair road surfaces lies near the former RAF Westonzoyland airfield, which dates back to the 1920s. When the base closed in the 1960s, part of the main runway was reworked to form what is now the A372.

46-48 Dean, nr West Cranmore (freehold): These three properties are located in the hamlet of Dean, on the A361 around halfway between Frome and Shepton Mallet.

81-83 Portway, Wells (freehold): These two houses sit on the busy A371 in the north of the city, not far from a new proposed development of 220 properties.

Communications station, Brompton Regis (freehold): little is known about this unusual structure, located in this small but picturesque village in the heart of the Exmoor National Park.

13 St Andrew’s Road, Taunton (freehold): this quirky terraced house is directly opposite St Andrew’s Church and has good links to the railway station and town centre.

Pound Cottage, Donyatt Hill, Barrington (freehold): this aesthetically pleasing cottage is in the heart of this pretty village near Ilminster, a very short distance from St Mary the Virgin Church.

Wyndham Hall, Taunton (freehold): if you’ve ever visited Taunton Castle or had a pint at The Winchester Arms, the chances are you’ve walked by this building and not given it a second thought. The hall was erected in 1927 and used for lectures, with the council taking it on in the 1950s.

Screech Owl Nature Reserve, North Petherton (freehold): this nature reserve is sandwiched between the River Parrett and the M5, just a short stroll from the Boat and Anchor Inn.

The Wyvern Club, Taunton (freehold): this social club off Mountfields Road provides a base for cricket, rugby and squash clubs, as well as hosting non-sporting events all year round.