A public inquiry is set to take place in early 2026 to determine whether 20 new homes can be constructed on land south of Great Dunns Close in Beckington, a small village in Somerset located between Frome and Bath.
The proposal comes from Cotswold Homes and Redrow Homes, who submitted an outline application in October 2024 for up to 20 properties. However, Somerset Council’s planning committee east, responsible for major planning decisions in the former Mendip area, refused the application in July. The committee cited concerns that the development would be disproportionate for the village and could exacerbate sewage discharge into the nearby River Frome, which poses environmental and health risks.
In a twist, just a day prior, the same committee had approved plans for 35 new homes on an adjacent field near the A36. Following the refusal, the developers promptly appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, which has now confirmed a public inquiry will begin on March 3, 2026, likely held at the former Mendip District Council offices in Shepton Mallet. The inquiry is expected to span up to four days, including a site visit, with a final decision anticipated by summer 2026.
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The development site lies between existing homes on Great Dunns Close and Goose Lane, just south of Beckington Services. Access is proposed via an extension of Great Dunns Close, accompanied by the installation of a new sewage pumping station to manage waste from the new houses.
Among the 20 homes, six would be designated as affordable housing, meeting the council’s target of 30% affordable units for developments of ten or more homes in the Mendip area. In addition, developers have pledged nearly £33,000 towards improvements at the Beckington and White Row roundabouts — key junctions that could benefit from the government’s potential support for the nearby Selwood Garden Community development on the edge of Frome.
Additional developer contributions include almost £19,000 for upgrades at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, over £12,500 to expand Beckington Surgery, and more than £9,000 for a nearby multi-use games area (MUGA), reflecting efforts to address local infrastructure needs.
The planning committee’s refusal was based on three primary grounds: the scale of the proposed development was considered overly dominant and detrimental to the village’s conservation area and nearby listed buildings; insufficient evidence was presented to prove that the development would not increase sewage discharge into the River Frome, threatening the health of downstream wild swimming areas; and concerns over overdevelopment with an unacceptable impact on local infrastructure, especially given residents’ reliance on private cars.
This is not the first application for this site. Redrow Homes had earlier sought permission for 30 homes there, which was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate in June 2022.
Members of the public wishing to submit formal representations ahead of the inquiry should visit www.acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk, quoting case reference number 3375062 by January 7, 2026.
The inquiry outcome will be closely watched alongside the forthcoming decision on the Selwood Garden Community, expected early next year. Notably, near Beckington, a recent appeal for 24 homes on Bath Road was also dismissed by Planning Inspector Juliet Rogers.