The recent decision to remove planned wetlands from a proposed housing estate in Yeovil has left local villagers feeling confused and concerned, drawing comparisons to the well-known “Trigger’s Broom” scene from the television show Only Fools and Horses.
Yeovil LVA LLP won outline planning permission on appeal in March 2024 for 252 new homes on the Mudford Sock site, situated north of the A359 Mudford Road. The land was later sold to Bloor Homes South West, which has submitted detailed plans for the first phase of development-109 homes within what is now called “Oakmere Rise”.
Originally, the outline permission included the creation of a “constructed treatment wetland” at the northern edge of the site. This wetland was intended to serve as a significant green buffer to manage phosphate levels impacting the Somerset Levels and Moors.
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However, Somerset Council’s planning committee south, responsible for major applications in the former South Somerset area, has since voted to alter these plans. Instead of the constructed wetlands, the committee approved a more conventional sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), featuring attenuation ponds and reed-beds. The area earmarked for wetlands is now to be repurposed as public open space.
This shift has raised concerns among local groups. The 3 Villages Flood Group, representing Ashington, Chilton Cantelo, and Mudford downstream, expressed unease over the potential impact on flood resilience. Group member Duncan Woodward highlighted that the original planning inspector regarded the cascading wetlands as serving a broader flood mitigation role, not merely phosphate control. He questioned the evidence supporting the new drainage system’s equivalence in flood storage and protection.
James Cary, chairman of the Friends of Mudford Action Group (FOMAG), likened the change to “Trigger’s broom”-a metaphor for something that has undergone so many alterations it may no longer be the same. Cary stressed that removing the wetlands diminishes landscape character, environmental benefits, and biodiversity, warning that unlike the comedic reference, this change is serious.
Local resident and FOMAG member Dawn Woodward added that eliminating the wetlands undermines wider flood risk management efforts for the River Yeo catchment. Monitoring from the Yeovil Community Rivers Trust indicated rainfall near the site is approximately 37% higher than developer models accounted for, adding urgency to assess cumulative impacts as more developments contribute water to the same drainage network.
Councillor Stephen Page, Liberal Democrat for Somerton, raised questions about safety, particularly for children in the new estate, asking if any health risks were associated with the revised drainage systems. Planning officer Dawn de Vries assured the committee that unsafe schemes would not be approved.
Meanwhile, Councillors Mike Stanton and Oliver Patrick, also Liberal Democrats, expressed support for the amended plans. Stanton noted the new system was likely more environmentally friendly and visually appealing, while Patrick highlighted the site’s biodiversity net gain is projected at 20%, double the minimum requirement. Patrick further argued that the mechanical pumps needed for an artificial wetland would carry a higher carbon footprint compared to the passive SUDS approach.
After approximately two hours of debate, the planning committee approved the amended plans by seven votes to three, with one abstention. Decisions on both the detailed first phase and an application for expedited construction of a new crossroads-serving as the main estate access-are expected before Christmas.
The unfolding development continues to be closely watched by local communities who remain vigilant about flooding and environmental impacts.