A small village in Somerset is poised for significant development with plans for up to 100 new homes on Coat Road in Martock, pending approval of revised proposals. Martock LVA LLP initially secured outline planning permission from Somerset Council for the housing project, which includes the creation of new woodland and a community orchard.
Although the council’s planning committee south, which oversees major applications in the former South Somerset area, approved the plans in January 2024, legal agreements were finalized only in September 2025. Now, Countryside Partnerships Ltd. and Magna Housing Ltd. have jointly submitted updated plans for the same site, with a council decision expected by early autumn.
Situated on the north-western edge of Martock, directly west of the Lyndhurst Grove estate—where a 35-home second phase gained approval in December 2025—the development will be accessed from Coat Road. The new residences will line a central spine road that ends near the former Great Western Railway trackbed, once part of the Yeovil to Taunton line.
Countryside Partnerships, currently building the Isleport Grove development in Highbridge, will deliver market-rate housing, featuring a variety of units from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses. Magna Housing will provide 35 affordable homes, meeting the council’s requirement of 35 percent affordable housing for developments exceeding ten units within the former South Somerset district.
West of the new homes, several attenuation ponds will be constructed to mitigate flood risks for both new and existing residents. Surrounding these ponds will be new woodland, creating a natural buffer zone adjacent to the nearby hamlet of Coal. A circular footpath will also be installed around the woodland for community use.
A spokesperson from PCL Planning Ltd., representing the developers, commented: “The proposal includes a generous area of public open space, benefiting both new and current residents. The design respects local architectural character while introducing a contemporary style. The layout efficiently mixes various housing types to address diverse needs, with mostly two-storey homes reflecting the scale of surrounding buildings. Considering the current shortfall in the council’s five-year housing supply, planning permission should be granted promptly.”
Given Martock’s location within the River Parrett catchment area, measures are in place to avoid increasing phosphate pollution on the Somerset Levels and Moors. This will be managed through an on-site water treatment package supplied by Albion Water and the purchase of phosphate credits linked to fallowing farmland in the Blackdown Hills.
In accordance with legal agreements, the developers will contribute over £1 million toward local education. Funding allocations include nearly £154,000 for early years education at Martock Church of England Primary School, more than £546,000 for the primary school’s main provision, and just over £348,000 for Stanchester Academy in Stoke-sub-Hamdon.
Additionally, the 30mph speed limit along Coat Road will be extended past the site entrance, enhancing pedestrian safety for those walking into the village. However, there is no confirmed funding from NHS Somerset for improvements at Martock Surgery on Church Street, despite this being one of 16 practices targeted for upgrades using £1 million from the Department for Health and Social Care.
The council is anticipated to make a final decision on these proposals within six months. Given the project’s scale and community impact, the ruling may be conducted publicly by the planning committee south, rather than by delegated officers.