Shepton Mallet is set to see increased housing development as new land near the Mid Somerset Showground has been designated to address the town’s future housing demands. This decision follows the formal adoption of the Shepton Mallet Neighbourhood Plan into Somerset Council’s planning framework after an overwhelming 84% of local residents backed the plan in a July 17 referendum.
Aligned with the Mendip Local Plan Part I, most new homes will be built south of the A371 Cannard’s Grave Road. Developer C.G. Fry has proposed 620 homes, commercial spaces, a care home, and a primary school in this location, with a final planning decision expected before Christmas. However, the Neighbourhood Plan has identified an additional nearby site for up to 150 homes. This allocation responds to higher government housing targets and delays on other sites over recent years.
The newly designated residential area lies adjacent to the Cannard’s Grave site on the west side of Compton Road, south of existing housing. The Neighbourhood Plan estimates that a majority of these homes will be completed by 2034. Importantly, the plan highlights that this site complements the larger strategic development and will help mitigate traffic impacts on the historic town center.
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Designed to harmonize with the surrounding countryside, the site will include green corridors and open spaces, avoiding flood-prone areas near the River Sheppey. Besides homes, the plan envisions a community building featuring meeting rooms, social and health facilities, a children’s play area, allotments, and a community garden to foster local wellbeing.
Richard Thomas, chair of the Shepton Mallet Neighbourhood Plan steering group, stressed the importance of such community amenities, noting past developments failed to deliver promised communal spaces. “Shepton Mallet currently lacks publicly-owned community meeting facilities,” he said. He pointed out that a previous development at Tadley Acres promised a community room that was never built, and the developer at Cannard’s Grave Road is reluctant to include similar provisions. Thomas urged councillors to support this crucial community health need.
The plan also sets standards on the character of new homes, parking requirements for new estates, and improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure. It demands developer contributions to the ongoing delivery of projects like the Strawberry Line and the broader ‘Somerset Circle’ active travel network.
In addition, the Neighbourhood Plan protects and enhances 15 green spaces within town boundaries, including Collett Park, Kilver Court Gardens, the River Sheppey Weir area, and The Meadows.
Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, praised the volunteers involved in the plan’s development, some of whom have dedicated nearly eleven years. “I would like to thank everyone who worked on the plan; without your efforts, these things don’t get done,” he said.
With the plan now formally adopted, it will guide future planning decisions in Shepton Mallet. Alison Blom-Cooper, the council’s chief planning officer, informed the sub-committee that a report on the Cannard’s Grave Road site will soon be brought before the planning committee, and that the Neighbourhood Plan’s policies will be key considerations in that process.