Plans for nearly 80 new homes on the edge of a cherished Somerset beauty spot have been approved following a successful appeal by Gladman Developments. Originally, the developer sought permission in 2020 to build up to 90 homes on Wookey Hole Road in Wells, adjacent to the Mendip Hills national landscape designation.
After initial refusals from Somerset Council in 2020 and again in November 2024—citing concerns over the potential erosion of the gap between Wells and surrounding villages—Gladman submitted amended plans in July 2024. These plans reduced the number of homes to 78 and incorporated additional public open space on the northern part of the site.
The Planning Inspectorate, after a public inquiry in late August, ruled in favor of Gladman. Planning Inspector Benjamin Webb highlighted that Somerset Council’s housing policies were outdated due to a lack of a five-year housing land supply. He concluded that the development would not disrupt Wells’s sustainable growth pattern, especially as future residents would have easy access to local services and amenities.
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The 78-home site, located south of Wookey Hole Road near the Priory Fields development and St. Cuthbert’s paper mill, will feature 32 affordable homes, meeting the council’s 40% affordable housing target for developments of this size in the Mendip area. Access will be provided at the northeastern corner of the site, with a pedestrian link connecting the new development to the Strawberry Line multi-user path.
Inspector Webb also addressed the council’s concerns about the site serving as a protective green gap between Wells and nearby Haybridge. He noted that the Mendip Local Plan Part II had rejected this designation and that the site’s development would retain a substantial open space area, maintaining a reasonable sense of separation. He dismissed claims that the housing would transform Haybridge into a suburb.
Regarding the site’s impact on the Mendip Hills’ scenic views, Inspector Webb found that the land does not significantly contribute to the existing vistas. While the development would change the character of the site, it is unlikely to noticeably affect the tranquillity or visual quality of the national landscape.
Environmental considerations have also been addressed: Wells lies within the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment, a protected Ramsar site sensitive to increased phosphates. To mitigate this, Gladman will implement a sustainable urban drainage scheme alongside Wessex Water’s planned wastewater treatment plant upgrade, scheduled for completion by April 2030. If the homes are occupied before that date, the developer must purchase phosphate credits linked to temporary agricultural land fallowing.
The next stage involves submitting a reserved matters application detailing the design and layout of the homes, anticipated in early 2026.