Plans revealed for 330 new homes for growing Somerset town

More than 300 new homes could soon be delivered on the outskirts of Midsomer Norton under new plans which have been teased to residents. The town is experiencing significant housing growth at its southern edge, with construction under way on two key sites - the Somer Meadows site on the A367 Green Park Road (270 homes) and Cherry Blossom View on Beauchamps Drive (75 homes).

The Planning Inspectorate will shortly rule on the fate of Curo's proposals for 54 homes on the Underhill Farm site on Orchard Vale, on the western edge of the town. And Barratt David Wilson Homes has now teased proposals to further expand the town, with 330 new homes on land to the north of Tunnel Lane.

Tunnel Lane is a narrow country lane connecting Midsomer Norton to neighbouring Chilcompton - which saw off a significant development of 95 homes at the hands of Gladman Developments in February 2022, following a public inquiry. This latest development would see the built-up edge of Midsomer Norton extend into the parish of Chilcompton, with homes being built to the north of the existing properties and not far from the planned extension to the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway heritage line.

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Barratt David Wilson Homes has provided few details as part of an initial application to Somerset Council, known as a screening request, and has not published a masterplan of how the site may be built out if planning permission were to be granted. The developer has confirmed the site would accommodate 'up to 330 dwellings', along with 'commercial and community facilities' (such as retail units or a village hall), a 'mobility hub', public open space and improved walking and cycling links into the town.

One local resident, identified only as Rachel T, has objected to any form of development on this site, arguing: "Access to the site is on an already busy B-road with no facilities for large construction traffic.

"The construction will destroy what is already a bio-diverse area with deer, birds of prey, barn owls, bats, badgers and stoats to name but a few. Any proposed bus stops and traffic will struggle with the road width on B3355, as it does already, and will only serve places such as Bath and Wells.

"The additional traffic that will be generated on the local roads will make it very difficult for both walkers and cyclists, let alone those exiting any properties onto the B3355. There are currently not enough doctors, dentists and other essential services in the area currently, including school places.

"I am not sure where all the residents of the proposed development are going to work. Jobs are few in the area and they will need to drive further for employment, creating more pollution when we are encouraged to reduce this. The current sewage systems cannot currently cope and the road has a tendency to flood when we have heavy rain."

The site is not allocated within either the Mendip Local Plan Part I or the revised Mendip Local Plan Part II, which will be subject to public hearings by the Planning Inspectorate early in the new year.

The site could potentially be allocated for housing within the new Somerset-wide Local Plan, with an initial round of consultation with stakeholders and the general public expected to begin in the spring - though this plan will not be formally adopted until March 2028.

A spokesman for Barratt David Wilson Homes said: "Our plans for the site at Tunnel Lane offer an opportunity to build approximately 300 new homes on a sustainable site to meet the local area’s needs. In the midst of the current housing crisis, we are proposing 90 homes for those who cannot afford to buy or rent housing on the open market; this will make a genuine difference to local people trying to get on the housing ladder.

"Our proposals will also deliver a new safe crossing point over Silver Street to the now-consented development, linking up with a new segregated pedestrian and cycleway, making it much safer and easier to get into town without a car. We will shortly be submitting our planning application and look forward to working with stakeholders more in the coming months."