Somerset Council has refused plans to build 45 new homes in the small village of Broadway, near the A303. This marks the second time proposals for housing on the site between Pound Road and Paulls Lane have been rejected.
Initially, developer Harrison Brown of Blue Spruce Properties Ltd submitted outline plans in December 2023 for 47 homes but withdrew them in March 2024 after criticism from Broadway Parish Council. The council described the development as poorly placed and inconsistent with the village’s character.
Revised plans submitted in November 2024 scaled down the project to 45 homes, including 16 affordable units to meet the 35% target for developments over ten homes in the former South Somerset area. Despite this, after 18 months of evaluation, Somerset Council declined the application again.
READ MORE: £6m Flood Defence Scheme for Taunton Town Centre Delayed Until Early 2027
READ MORE: Thousands of Charges Issued for Blue Badge Misuse in North Somerset Over Four Years
The council cited several concerns for refusal. Key issues included the lack of safe, continuous walking and cycling access to local services, notably the primary school, which would limit residents’ ability to access amenities on foot. Additionally, the council noted insufficient integration with the village’s existing character.
Environmental matters were central to the decision. The proposal failed to provide adequate technical measures addressing phosphate pollution risks to the nearby Somerset Levels and Moors. It also fell short of demonstrating how it would achieve the legally required 10% biodiversity net gain. Furthermore, the developer did not present a draft legal agreement outlining financial contributions to mitigate increased pressure on local services and infrastructure.
The site, located just east of Pound Road and about a mile from the Blackdown Hills national landscape, would have featured an attenuation pond designed to manage surface water and reduce flood risk. Access was planned via a new junction on Pound Road with pedestrian access leading to Paulls Lane.
Nearby, other housing developments have moved forward despite local debates. In November 2023, the council approved 35 homes north of Broadway Road, with construction underway on the Neroche Meadows site. Additionally, plans for 49 homes in neighboring Horton have been approved and are to be delivered by Galion Homes.
The council’s refusal was made through delegated powers of planning officers rather than the public planning committee. Bill Cotton, interim service director for planning, detailed five reasons for the decision: inadequate walking and cycling infrastructure, insufficient demonstration of integration with the village, lack of phosphate mitigation measures, failure to secure biodiversity net gain, and no legal agreement for financial contributions.
Blue Spruce Properties has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the decision.