Somerset Council has ruled that changes to a level crossing in Crewkerne must be implemented before construction can commence on a nearby housing development. Tilia Homes was granted permission on appeal in November 2025 to build 145 homes at the Maple Grove site off Lang Road, close to the Cathole Bridge Road level crossing on the London to Exeter railway line.
Legal agreements signed following a separate appeal in July 2020 require that work on the new homes cannot start until a public right of way crossing the railway west of the level crossing is ‘stopped up’-meaning it is taken out of active public use-to ensure safety.
In June, the Exeter-based developer applied to amend this agreement to allow building to begin earlier, expressing an “anxious” desire to start development. However, Somerset Council declined the request, expressing concerns that allowing work to proceed could result in the houses never being completed, leaving the site an indefinite eyesore.
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The disputed footpath, known as CH27/21, runs south from Cathole Bridge Road near the Maple Grove access, crosses the railway via two stiles, and continues toward the Dorset border through the hamlet of Henley. Original planning conditions stipulate that no building activities, not even the creation of the access road, can begin until this footpath is officially stopped up.
Tilia Homes sought permission to modify this condition by constructing the access onto Lang Road and laying foundations for up to ten homes before the footpath closure. Michael Russell of Terra Firma Capital Partners Ltd, representing the developer, stated: “Tilia Homes has until November 2027 to commence development on site. They are anxious to start work to secure implementation of the approved planning permissions. This change will ensure the development proceeds in good time before the permission expires.”
The developer also offered to pay Network Rail £78,000 to facilitate stopping up the footpath if the revised plans were approved. In late January, Network Rail conducted a public consultation on proposals to divert the footpath over the Cathole Bridge Road level crossing, reconnecting it via a track to the south.
Cathole Bridge Road features no pavements, dense hedges, and often serves as a shortcut for those accessing Crewkerne railway station, located in the parish of Misterton, bypassing the town centre’s one-way system.
Somerset Council’s decision to refuse the developer’s proposed amendment was made under delegated powers by planning officers rather than through a public planning committee meeting. Principal planning officer Tim Marsh explained: “Stopping up the pedestrian crossing prior to the occupation of the dwellings could allow houses to be built but remain unoccupied indefinitely. This scenario risks the development being lawfully started but never completed, thereby blighting the landscape indefinitely.”