More than 750 new homes could be delivered across part of Somerset by 2029 under new proposals which are out for public consultation.

Mendip District Council identified a total of 37 sites which could deliver additional housing in the district in its Local Plan Part II, which was ratified by councillors in December 2021.

Following a successful judicial review by Norton St. Philip Parish Council in December 2022, five of these sites were scrapped – three on the edge of Midsomer Norton and two in the villages of Beckington and Norton St. Philip, near Frome.

Somerset Council has now published a list of sites which could replace these original housing allocations – most of which already have some form of planning permission in place.

The High Court's ruling saw five sites struck from the Local Plan Part II, with Somerset Council needing to allocate new sites to deliver a minimum of 505 new homes in the north-eastern part of the former Mendip district.

Following a 'call for sites' (which produced more than 50 possible development sites), planning officers have whittled down the proposals to a shortlist of 11 sites which between them could deliver 777 new houses.

Interestingly, the majority of the ten sites already have outline or full planning permission in place – meaning they could come forward for delivery long before the new Somerset Local Plan comes into force for the whole county in early-2028.

The 11 sites identified for inclusion in the new Mendip Local Plan Part II are:

1. A367 White Post Inn, Midsomer Norton (270 homes): this site on the southern edge of Midsomer Norton is the only one of the five removed sites to be successfully reallocated within the Local Plan Part II. Outline permission for 270 homes on the site was originally secured by Waddeton Park Ltd. in July 2022 – a decision subsequently re-approved in March 2023 following the High Court's decision. Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes were granted reserved matters approval for the site in January, with construction likely to begin before the end of the year
2. Land west of Brooks Road, Street (120 homes): this site lies within the Street 'future growth area', adjacent to a larger allocation to the south of the A39 Quarry Batch. No formal plans have been submitted, but the council anticipated that half of the proposed number of homes could be delivered by 2029 if an application is approved within the next two years
3. Lowerside Lane, Glastonbury (90 homes): Waddeton Park Ltd. secured outline planning permission for this site (also known as Common Moor Drove) in May 2023 following an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. The site is currently being marketed by Cooper and Tanner estate agents – meaning it could be some time before work begins on the site. Even if plans do come forward rapidly, the legal agreement surrounding the site dictate that none of the new homes can be occupied until Wessex Water has upgraded the Glastonbury waste water treatment plans, which it is currently planning to undertake before the end of 2025
4. Cherry Blossom View, Beauchamps Drive, Midsomer Norton (75 homes): Gleeson Strategic Land Ltd. secured outline planning permission for this site, in the neigbouring parish of Stratton-on-the-Fosse, in February 2022 following a successful appeal. Wain Homes subsequently acquired the site and could begin construction on the new Cherry Blossom View development after its reserved matters application was approved in December 2023
5. Land east of Anchor Lane, Coleford (63 homes): Gladman Developments secured outline permission for this site at the northern edge of Coleford in October 2021, following a successful planning appeal. The site is currently being marketed to a potential new developer, meaning this site may come forward later in the Local Plan period depending on how soon a buyer can be found and more detailed proposals put forward
6. Land south of the Crispin Centre, High Street, Street (56 homes): Churchill Retirement Ltd. has put forward proposals to build 45 retirement flats and 11 retirement cottages on the site of this largely vacant shopping centre in the centre of Street. The new facility, if approved, will be within walking distance of the village's main amenities as well as the Clarks Village shopping centre
7. Former Wells police station, A39 Glastonbury Road, Wells (47 flats): Wells Police Station operated at 10-12 Glastonbury Road until late-2021, when the police moved to their new facility inside the fire station on Burcott Road. Churchill Retirement Ltd. has put forward plans to convert the buildings into extra care apartments, with the council's planning committee east expected to make a decision on Tuesday afternoon (March 5)
8. Adderwell Lane, Frome (25 homes): Persimmon Homes Wessex applied in February 2021 to build 25 homes on the former Cuprinol factory site off Adderwell Road, at the eastern edge of the town. Somerset Council's planning committee east approved amended plans for the site in July 2023, with construction expected to ramp up in the coming months
9. North Parade car park, New Mews, Frome (18 homes): this car park was first identified for development by Mendip District Council back in 2020. Its successor has been working with the Stonewater housing association on proposals to build on the site, securing a land swap with the neighbouring Farleigh Further Education College in mid-2021. Formal proposals for 18 low-cost homes are currently being considered by planning officers
10. The Downside Motor Company, B3139 Wells Road, Chilcompton (7 homes): the Mendip And Somerset Building Company Ltd. secured planning permission to redevelop this brownfield site near Chilcompton Village Hall in April 2023. The site lies outside of the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment area and therefore does not require additional phosphate mitigation – meaning it could be delivered relatively quickly
11. Norbins Road car park, Norbins Road, Glastonbury (6 homes): this site was one of four identified for development by Mendip District Council when it announced its partnership with Aster Housing back in 2020. The site has been held up by phosphate mitigation negotiations, but it is still expected to deliver all affordable housing before 2029

While these sites have been included, there are a number of prominent sites which have been excluded from the revised Local Plan Part II.

This includes four of the five original sites which were struck out by the judicial review, namely:

• Land east of the A367 Fosseway South, Midsomer Norton (decision pending on plans for 190 homes by Persimmon Homes Wessex)
• Land at Orchard Vale, Midsomer Norton (permission for 54 homes refused in November 2023 – Curo is expected to submit revised proposals shortly)
• Land at Great Dunns Close, Beckington (plans for 30 homes dismissed in October 2022)
• Fortescue Fields phase two, Mackley Lane, Norton St Philip (plans for 30 homes withdraw in April 2023)

The revised plan also excludes the former Greencore site in Evercreech (which is subject to an ongoing planning appeal), Packsaddle Fields in Frome (where LiveWest has applied to build 74 homes and a children's homes, and land east of the B3090 Oldford Hill in northern Frome (where initial proposals for 420 homes were recently teased).

These proposed sites are subject to a public consultation, which runs until April 12. To give your views on the proposals, visit www.somersetcouncil.citizenspace.com/planning/mendip-local-plan-part-ii-limited-update-reg-18.

The responses to the consultation will come before the council's planning and transport policy sub-committee on June 20.

A further round of consultation will be carried out over the summer before the final submissions are made to the Planning Inspectorate on September 30.