Efforts to challenge a controversial housing development in Castle Cary have progressed as a judicial review moves forward.
In April 2019, the Yarlington Housing Association secured planning permission on appeal to build 27 homes on the Foxes Run site, located off Bridgewater Buildings at Castle Cary’s southwestern edge. Following a merger in late 2020, Yarlington became part of Abri, the developer now responsible for the project.
Local residents and historians have voiced concerns about the site, claiming it may contain an unexploded bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe during World War II. Despite these claims, Abri has denied the presence of any such hazard. In April 2022, the developer reportedly began preliminary site clearance work, even though the initial planning permission had lapsed. Local councillor Henry Hobhouse called for the permission to be revoked in October 2022.
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In August 2024, Abri applied to amend several planning conditions to facilitate the start of construction. The Planning Inspectorate subsequently ruled in the developer’s favor, allowing the project to proceed. In response, Mr. Hobhouse launched a judicial review, supported by a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal costs, and formally notified the Planning Inspectorate with the assistance of barristers from Acuity Law.
The development site lies between Bridgewater Buildings and Remalard Court, with Bridgewater Buildings providing the only vehicular access. Abri defended the project in July 2024, highlighting that it will be “a 100 percent affordable housing scheme for local households, making a meaningful contribution to the council’s housing supply.”
However, Councillor Hobhouse criticized the planning inspector C. Butcher’s decision following a site visit in November 2025, alleging that the report contained inaccuracies. Specifically, he disputed the claim that waste lorries frequently use Mill Lane, arguing this minimized the traffic impact on the narrow residential road.
“The approved plan involves bringing in around 3,200 tonnes of building materials, resulting in numerous heavy goods vehicle movements,” Hobhouse explained. “This will seriously disrupt the daily lives, safety, and peace of residents in Brookfields, Mill Lane, and the surrounding areas.”
The letter sent by Acuity Law outlined three grounds for the judicial review. If the review is granted, a one-day hearing could be scheduled before the end of the year, with an expected outcome in early 2027.