Plans to extend a rural cycle route in Somerset have been unexpectedly delayed due to errors identified in the council’s planning reports. Somerset Council’s planning officers made mistakes in their assessment of proposals submitted by Lovell Homes, the developer behind the Station Fields project in Williton.
Lovell Homes is developing Station Fields on the western edge of Williton along the A39 Priest Street. The development will include 350 new homes, commercial spaces, leisure facilities, and public open spaces. As part of its agreement with Somerset Council, Lovell Homes committed to constructing nearly a mile (1.5km) of walking and cycling paths near the site to improve access to local schools and amenities for new residents.
The developer submitted plans in November 2025 to build these walking and cycling links as extensions to the Steam Coast Trail, aiming to create a safe, car-free connection between Williton and the neighbouring town of Watchet. The Steam Coast Trail already features two completed sections: one from Dunster Beach car park to Blue Anchor and another north of the West Somerset Railway in Washford.
The proposed extensions include two specific sections. The western section (‘phase one’) would run from the B3191 Five Bells area near Danesfield Church of England Middle School along a public footpath north of the Monksilver Stream to Doniford Road, close to St. Peter’s Church of England First School. This phase would also include a new crossing on Doniford Road, connecting to pedestrian and cycling paths on the Orchard Brooks estate.
The eastern section (‘phase two’) would stretch from the eastern edge of Orchard Brooks, running alongside Doniford Road before crossing near a roundabout linking Alamein, Cassino, and Rangoon Roads on Watchet’s edge. This section intends to link Williton and Watchet, facilitating easier non-car access for residents of nearby estates, including the Underwood Gardens development.
Both paths will be four meters wide to accommodate cyclists, pedestrians, and mobility scooter users safely. Construction will use low-impact methods consistent with existing Steam Coast Trail sections.
However, at a planning committee meeting on April 28, Councillor Simon Coles, who chairs the committee overseeing major applications within the former Somerset West and Taunton area, decided to defer the approval. He cited significant concerns about inaccuracies in the planning officers’ report, including incorrect references to planning policies and insufficient background information on the development and relevant footpath diversions.
Councillor Coles emphasized that his decision to delay was not a reflection on the scheme itself or the officer recommendations but a move to ensure the committee has complete and accurate information to make a well-informed decision. The revised report will be corrected and updated before being reconsidered at a future meeting.
The next planning committee meeting is scheduled for May 26 in Taunton.