Somerset taxpayers are now facing a potentially substantial financial burden after Somerset Council lost an appeal concerning a proposed care home near the M5 motorway.
The site in question is the grade II listed Woodlands Castle on Ruishton Lane, Ruishton, located close to the Taunton Gateway park and ride and junction 25 of the M5. In May 2024, developer Belstone Fox from Plymouth submitted plans to construct a new care home within the castle grounds, alongside 18 new residential properties and the conversion of the historic building into a single dwelling—a restoration project alone estimated to cost nearly £2.3 million.
In February 2025, the council refused planning permission, citing concerns that the plans would detract from the character of both the listed building and the surrounding village. However, following a public inquiry in March, the Planning Inspectorate overturned the council’s decision and awarded costs against the council due to “unreasonable behaviour.” These costs will be borne by local taxpayers.
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Woodlands Castle, dating back to the 17th century, had served as a wedding venue and conference centre until it closed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The building suffered significant damage and vandalism after being used as a cannabis farm in 2021. Temporary repairs are already beginning to fail, raising urgency for restoration.
The approved plans propose converting the building into a residence, with 18 additional homes built in three clusters throughout the grounds. The care home will be positioned at the site’s entrance on Ruishton Lane, opposite the Brookfield Nurseries site where Taylor Wimpey recently won planning permission on appeal for up to 150 houses.
Located within the River Tone catchment, Belstone Fox purchased phosphate credits to mitigate environmental impact, ensuring no net phosphate increase on the protected Somerset Levels and Moors.
Inspector C. Rose inspected the site on March 3 and published their decision on April 7. The inspector noted that the council could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and recognized the public social benefits the development would bring by providing additional care places and restoring the deteriorating listed building.
The inspector further criticized many of the council’s policies as “out of date,” referring to the recent Brookfield Nurseries appeal and disputing claims that the development would harm village identity or significantly reduce community openness.
While acknowledging the land surrounding Woodlands Castle as significant to its heritage, the inspector concluded the development at the site’s northern edge would cause the least harm, and that the proposed care home’s size and design might detract from the castle’s setting but were necessary for its restoration.
The ruling emphasized that converting the building into a single residence represented the optimum viable use and found no evidence supporting claims that the castle’s deterioration was due to deliberate neglect. With no viable public funding options to cover restoration costs, private investment was deemed essential.
Importantly, the inspector found the council had acted unreasonably by providing misleading information, failing to clearly articulate objections, and unwillingness to engage constructively regarding the development’s viability. This behaviour led to unnecessary delays and expenses for the developer.
The exact legal costs the council must pay will be determined in negotiations between Belstone Fox and the council’s legal team, placing a financial strain on the local community.