Plans to build 60 homes on a road described by locals as “dangerous and uncrossable” in rural Somerset have been delayed for a second time by local councillors.
The Church Commissioners for England, responsible for managing land and property owned by the Church of England, submitted outline proposals in January 2025 to construct new housing alongside a community hub south of Roughmoor Lane in Westbury-sub-Mendip. The site is located just off the busy A371, which links Cheddar and Wells.
Somerset Council’s planning committee east, which oversees major applications within the former Mendip area, initially deferred a decision in early May due to concerns over pedestrian safety, active travel options, and fears of over-development.
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The committee reconvened recently and has decided to delay their decision again. They have commissioned an independent assessment to determine whether improvements can be made to the A371 to ensure the safety of both prospective new residents and existing schoolchildren in the village.
The proposed development occupies the western entrance to Westbury-sub-Mendip, situated between the Robert Glanville Playing Fields, which includes a local skate park, and St Lawrence’s Church.
Plans include creating a new junction onto the A371 Stoke Road to allow safe access into the site, with a reduction in the speed limit to 20mph. Roughmoor Lane would be closed off, the existing bus stop relocated, and a community green space established.
A community hub is planned for the eastern end of the site, with the 60 new homes arranged around a central green area. Additionally, an attenuation pond at the southern edge aims to mitigate flood risks.
Of the 60 homes, 18 are designated as affordable housing, complying with the council’s target of 30% for developments of ten homes or more within Mendip.
The development is set to contribute over £152,000 towards early years education in the village and nearly £61,000 for special needs services. Health services will benefit from more than £38,000, with an extra £19,000 allocated to the Royal United Hospital in Bath.
Furthermore, the plans include just over £43,000 towards extending the Strawberry Line active travel route westwards towards Rodney Stoke, which will be accessible from the development.
Penelope Colwill, vice-chair of Westbury-sub-Mendip Parish Council, expressed frustration at the lack of progress since the May meeting held in Shepton Mallet on July 9.
“The majority of our community accepts the Roughmoor Lane site is allocated for housing, and we look forward to welcoming new residents into our beautiful village,” she said. “However, if this application proceeds in its current form, it will make an already dangerous road even more hazardous and cause irreversible damage to the village’s character and the iconic views from the Mendip Hills.
Despite inviting discussions on potential solutions, there has been a complete lack of meaningful response. Sadly, this aligns with the community’s experience that their concerns and suggestions have been dismissed throughout the planning process.”
The land is designated in the Mendip Local Plan Part II for around 40 homes, meaning Somerset Council would require strong justification to refuse development in this location.
Local resident Emma Gifford, who lives on the village’s eastern edge, criticised the developer for not proposing a safe pedestrian crossing over the A371. She warned of the serious risks facing children living in the new homes.
“While the school can accommodate a sustainable number of families, children from this development will risk their lives daily, undertaking nearly 400 unsafe road crossings each year just to attend school,” she said. “It is impossible for young children to cross safely when their sightlines are so limited. The applicant’s proposals fail to address this hazard.
Crossing the road remains the most dangerous regular activity my now-teenage daughter faces; she must cross it to catch the bus to the Blue School in Wells, which is terrifying as a parent. The school itself cannot safely use the playing fields because of this risk.”
Another resident, David Maguire, highlighted local policy demands for a safe crossing.
“The applicants claim a controlled crossing is unfeasible due to sight-line issues, yet the parish council has suggested a solution. Without a safe crossing over the A371 to village facilities, the development will create a dangerous divide between new residents and the community they should be part of,” he said.
Councillor Heather Shearer, whose Mendip West division covers the site, said she could not support any development endangering future residents, particularly children.
“I find it hard to support any additional development south of what is widely regarded as a dangerous and uncrossable road. Residents have consistently sought dialogue with the applicants to reduce the development’s impact, and continue to do so. There is support for more housing, but it must benefit the village, not increase existing risks,” she said.
As an alternative to a pedestrian crossing, the development proposes a mown path linking to an existing footpath through the churchyard, emerging near The Westbury Inn on the main road.
Councillor Susannah Hart, Conservative member for Glastonbury, questioned why the council was not insisting that the developer secure land for a safe crossing before granting permission.
“Until the landowner has categorically refused, we should not approve the plans. If it were your children or elderly relatives in a wheelchair, you would understand the residents’ concerns. I worry we are relying on computer models when lived experience tells us differently,” she stated.
Councillor Claire Sully, Liberal Democrat representative for Mendip South, pointed to underreported safety concerns.
“Official data doesn’t capture near-misses, which I’m sure are frequent around here. The lack of meaningful engagement from the developer with the community is a missed opportunity,” she added.
Following nearly two hours of debate, the committee voted six to five, with one abstention, to defer the decision until highways officers conduct an independent road safety assessment focusing on pedestrian movements across the A371.
The planning application will be reconsidered with the new report before Christmas.