Plans to transform a former Somerset primary school site into affordable housing have received unanimous approval from local councillors. The King Ina Church of England Academy, once spread across two locations in Somerton—Etsome Terrace for infants and Kirkham Street for juniors—closed both sites when the academy relocated to a new building on Northfield, approved in 2019.
While the Kirkham Street site is slated for conversion into two residential properties, the Stonewater housing association submitted plans in August 2024 to redevelop the Etsome Terrace site into 16 affordable homes. This redevelopment involves demolishing the existing school buildings.
Somerset Council’s Planning Committee South, responsible for major projects within the former South Somerset area, has given the green light to the proposal. If legal agreements are finalized promptly, construction could begin before Christmas. The site is located in a residential area adjacent to the council’s school transport depot and is within walking distance of key community services including the local fire station and a convenience store on Dairy Court.
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The planned development will consist of 16 low-cost homes, offered at social rent contingent on securing grant funding from Homes England. The homes will be configured into five blocks: four one-bedroom flats, six two-bedroom houses, and six three-bedroom houses.
The project includes 31 car parking spaces and 28 cycle storage spaces. While the site itself offers limited green space, Stonewater will allocate £7,200 toward enhancing nearby play facilities—either on Etsome Terrace near the fire station or at the Gassons Lane playing fields.
Additionally, Stonewater will contribute £22,800 to support new places at either the primary school or the Acorn Day Nursery. This sum is reduced due to the financial constraints of developing a brownfield site.
Situated within the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment area, the development must address environmental concerns by preventing any net increase of phosphates entering the protected Ramsar site. To meet these requirements, Stonewater will purchase phosphate credits from fallowed agricultural land in the same catchment area. Moreover, Wessex Water plans to eliminate additional phosphates by April 2030 through upgrades to local wastewater treatment plants, a commitment aligned with the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.
Dave Norris of Boon Brown Architects, representing Stonewater, emphasized the need for swift approval and legal signoff, expressing frustration over delays. Speaking at the June 17 Planning Committee meeting in Yeovil, he noted that despite no objections and town council support, the process had taken nearly a year to reach this point. He urged the council to avoid letting the project stall due to prolonged Section 106 agreement negotiations.
Councillor Jason Baker, committee chair, pledged to personally follow up with planning officers if agreements were not finalized within four weeks. Councillors representing the Somerton area also voiced their support, highlighting the site’s historical significance and the importance of timely funding. Councillor Tim Kerley recalled the site’s past as a milk factory bombed during World War II and welcomed its distinct identity. Councillors Sue Osborne and Stephen Page underlined the urgency of avoiding bureaucratic delays that could risk losing Homes England funding.
After approximately thirty minutes of discussion, the committee voted unanimously to approve the affordable housing plans, marking a significant step towards addressing local housing needs on this well-located brownfield site.