South Somerset is set to benefit from a significant farmland scheme that could enable the construction of at least 600 new homes in the coming years. This initiative follows environmental constraints caused by a 2020 Dutch court ruling and Natural England’s legal advice, which require developers to offset phosphate emissions affecting the Somerset Levels and Moors.
Somerset Council secured £9.6 million in government grants in December 2023 to implement short-term, localized solutions, such as nature-based projects including wetlands creation and fallowing agricultural land, which generate phosphate credits. These credits allow development to proceed by offsetting additional phosphates introduced by new residential or commercial buildings.
The latest phosphate credit scheme will operate on over 50 hectares (124 acres) of grade three agricultural land at Woodrow Farm in Yeovil Marsh, north of Yeovil. The farm, owned by the Wells-based Hiscox family, received planning permission in March 2024 to convert existing barns into five homes and remove a slurry pit previously used during its dairy farming days.
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This scheme is expected to generate approximately 63 phosphate credits within the River Parrett catchment, enabling planning permission for around 600 new homes before 2030. This figure could rise to 2,500 homes following wastewater treatment upgrades by Wessex Water, mandated under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. These upgrades will enhance phosphate removal capabilities by April 2030, ahead of the May 2031 deadline.
The council has already allocated £5.6 million of the grant funding specifically for nature-based solutions, including ongoing projects at Flyboat Farm, Pitminster, and planned reserves at Trinity Farm and Eastcombe Fields near Wellington and Barrington Hill Farm near Ilminster.
Despite commercial sensitivity preventing the council from confirming exact timelines or funding details for Woodrow Farm, the phosphate credit scheme marks a critical step in reducing phosphate levels and enabling housing growth. Wessex Water has agreed to implement “stretch permits” at several treatment plants, increasing phosphate removal beyond statutory requirements.
An independent legal opinion suggests Wessex Water’s current capacity provides “headroom” sufficient to unlock 30,000 new homes, potentially reducing the need for additional mitigation schemes like land fallowing or wetlands creation. This interpretation could allow developers to allocate more funds directly towards vital community infrastructure such as schools and healthcare facilities.
Nichola Bown, from the council’s nutrient mitigation fund team, emphasized the importance of continuing grant-funded projects while awaiting further clarification on this legal opinion. She reaffirmed that affected developments must still demonstrate nutrient neutrality in accordance with Natural England’s guidance and that phosphate credits remain essential for securing planning permissions.
While the council cannot specify when this legal matter will be fully resolved, the introduction of the Woodrow Farm phosphate credits scheme represents progress in overcoming environmental hurdles to sustainable housing development in Somerset.