Plans for 45 Homes in Somerset Village Near A303 Rejected by Council

Somerset Council has refused plans to build 45 new homes in the small village of Broadway, located near the A303. This marks the second time the site, situated between Pound Road and Paulls Lane at the western edge of Broadway near Ilminster, has been rejected for residential development.

Originally, Harrison Brown’s company, Blue Spruce Properties Ltd., submitted plans in December 2023 to construct 47 homes. These were withdrawn in March 2024 after Broadway Parish Council criticized the proposals, calling the location “poorly placed” within the village. The developer later submitted a revised plan in November 2024, reducing the number of homes to 45.

After 18 months of review, the council denied the latest application, citing concerns over pedestrian safety and the development’s incompatibility with the village’s character. The site lies just over a mile from the Blackdown Hills national landscape and a short drive from Broadway Hill’s access to the A303 dual carriageway.

Access to the proposed development would have been through a new junction on Pound Road, with pedestrian access via Paulls Lane intended to connect residents to local amenities. Of the 45 homes, 16 were planned as affordable housing, meeting the council’s 35 percent target for new developments in the former South Somerset area. An attenuation pond was also proposed to mitigate local flooding risks by controlling surface water runoff.

Boon Brown Architects, representing the applicant, stated that the development was designed as a low-density scheme within an enhanced landscape setting. However, nearby Broadway and Horton have attracted significant housing interest recently due to their proximity to key transport routes and natural areas.

While other developments are underway—such as a 35-home project on Broadway Road approved in November 2023 and a 49-home plan in Horton endorsed by both the council and the Planning Inspectorate—the Pound Road site remains controversial.

The refusal was issued under delegated powers by Somerset Council’s planning officers rather than the Planning Committee South, which usually handles major applications. Bill Cotton, interim service director for planning, outlined five main reasons for the rejection:

Lack of safe and continuous pedestrian and cycling infrastructure connecting the site to local schools and services.
Insufficient information demonstrating how the development would integrate with the village’s character.
No adequate technical measures to address phosphate pollution impacting the Somerset Levels and Moors.
Failure to show how a required 10 percent biodiversity net gain would be achieved.
Absence of a legal agreement to secure financial contributions addressing pressures on existing facilities.

Blue Spruce Properties Ltd has yet to announce whether it will appeal the council’s decision.