Revised development plans have been proposed for the former Yeo Valley campus on the outskirts of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, marking a significant transformation of the site.
Originally, Yeo Valley Farm and Holt Farms Ltd. sought outline permission in August 2018 to build up to 100 homes, alongside a 60-bed care home, 12 extra care units, business units, and a nursery on their former storage facility off the A371 Axbridge Road in Cheddar. In November 2020, Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee approved the plans, but legal agreements tied to the project were only finalized by May 2023.
Following the acquisition by Homes England, updated proposals were submitted and subsequently approved by Somerset Council in November 2024. Now working with Homes England, Woodstock Homes (Construction) Ltd has put forward further revisions focused on the residential portion, while LNT Care Developments Ltd has advanced fresh designs for the care home. Somerset Council is expected to announce decisions on both applications before Christmas.
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The development site is positioned along the northern side of Axbridge Road, adjacent to Cheddar Woods Resort and Spa, and borders the Mendip Hills national landscape. The revised scheme calls for 56 homes, including three specially designed live/work units that combine residential and office space, catering to remote workers and small business owners. These homes will vary in size from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses. Due to the challenges of developing a brownfield site, only eight units will be designated affordable housing.
The residential area will be concentrated at the southern tip of the site, providing 161 parking spaces, 11 of which are visitor spots. The northern area will feature extensive green landscaping and new tree planting, serving as a buffer between the development, the nearby campsite, and the protected landscape to the north.
Community amenities include a new 250-square-meter nursery located near the site entrance, alongside a 600-square-meter commercial building designed for office or light industrial use. Additionally, an active travel link will be created at the south-eastern corner to facilitate pedestrian and cyclist access into Cheddar via the A371 or the Strawberry Line at Axbridge.
A representative from LDA Design, acting for the applicants, emphasized the project’s importance: “This development will significantly bolster Somerset’s housing supply and generate vital employment opportunities. We are committed to working closely with Somerset Council to secure approval and deliver housing, jobs, and nursery facilities.”
The proposed care home, developed by LNT Care Developments in partnership with 376 Estates (Cheddar) Ltd. and Homes England, will be located at the site’s south-west corner. The three-storey building will house 66 bedrooms and is expected to create up to 60 local jobs. LNT highlighted the site’s strategic location close to existing amenities and public transport, addressing a clear need for specialist care accommodation in the area.
“This project offers considerable social and economic benefits, enhancing community cohesion and diversity while revitalizing the former Yeo Valley site,” stated a spokesperson for LNT.
Somerset Council’s planning committee north, responsible for major applications in the former Sedgemoor area, is anticipated to review and decide on the proposals within six months. If approved, construction on the care home is projected to commence within 16 months.