Plans to build 150 new homes and commercial premises near the A303 in Ilminster have been officially scrapped, nearly six years after their initial proposal. The development, put forward by Dairygold Co-operative Society Ltd. in January 2019, aimed to redevelop the former Horlicks factory site along the B3168 Station Road at Ilminster’s western entrance.
The project’s progression faced multiple delays, first due to the coronavirus pandemic and later because of the Somerset Levels and Moors phosphates crisis. Developers were required to secure additional environmental mitigation to prevent any net increase in phosphates impacting local waterways. Revised plans submitted in November 2024 included phosphate credits to address environmental concerns and proposed an enhanced green buffer separating the site from Southfields enterprise park, home to commercial outlets like Costa Coffee and McDonald’s.
Despite these adjustments, Dairygold has now formally withdrawn the application, without offering an official reason on the council’s planning portal. This decision leaves many questions unanswered in anticipation of future development plans.
The site itself spans both sides of Station Road, a key link between Ilminster, the A303, and the often congested Southfields roundabout. Under previous proposals, all 150 homes would have been built on the northern side, with commercial developments—potentially including a car dealership, light industrial units, and a drive-thru—concentrated on the southern parcel. Two staggered access points on Station Road were planned to improve traffic safety without installing signal-controlled crossroads near the busy A303 junction.
Of the 150 homes intended for the northern site, up to 53 would have been affordable housing units, meeting the council’s 35% target for developments exceeding ten homes, subject to viability assessments. Commercial space on the southern parcel was designed to cover over 23,000 square meters.
Local concerns have been voiced, particularly by Isle Abbotts Parish Council, which objected to the revised proposals citing increased flood risks and strain on community amenities. Parish clerk Kim Larsson emphasized the area’s vulnerability, referencing severe flooding in recent years, including October 2021. Heavy rainfall often overwhelms existing drainage, raising fears that the development’s surface water runoff could exacerbate flooding, particularly in adjoining areas like Isle Abbotts. The proximity of the River Isle and nearby residential parks—Holway House Park and Home Farm Park—have heightened these concerns.
Following the 2021 floods, an official Section 19 report was published with recommendations, including encouraging farmers to reduce maize cultivation to lower runoff and implementing natural flood management measures along the River Isle.
Despite the significance of the site and extensive local impact, Dairygold Co-operative Society Ltd. has provided no formal explanation for abandoning the project. The council’s chief planning officer, Alison Blom-Cooper, only confirmed on the council’s official website that “The application is now withdrawn.”