Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset authorities are currently reviewing a variety of notable planning applications, including a vast solar farm, the restoration of a historic Brunel bridge, and the revival of decades-old housing plans.
Each week, the two neighbouring councils receive hundreds of planning applications. Here we highlight several of the most significant proposals open for public comment and scrutiny on the councils’ websites. While most applications are decided by planning officers, key or controversial plans are referred to elected councillors on planning committees, where decisions should ideally follow planning policies rather than political influences.
A prominent proposal is the development of an 88-hectare solar farm at Yew Tree Farm, near Kingston Seymour in North Somerset. This renewable energy project aims to generate approximately 49.99 MW, enough to power 11,500 average UK homes annually—surpassing the population of nearby Clevedon.
READ MORE: Woman’s Heartbreak After Husband’s Carer Steals Jewellery and Cash
READ MORE: Somerset GP Warns of Risks in Buying Weight Loss Drugs Online
The project proponents emphasize the benefits of solar farms as reliable, locally sourced energy providers that address increasing electricity demand, support climate change mitigation, and reduce reliance on volatile foreign energy markets. The solar farm is projected to offset around 21,500 tonnes of CO2 each year, totaling 1.1 million tonnes over its operational lifetime.
In Bath, plans are underway to restore the last surviving cast iron footbridge designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on the Great Western Railway, located just south of Sydney Gardens. Built in 1841, this historic bridge has deteriorated over time due to dampness and rotting timber decking.
Network Rail seeks listed building consent to carry out sensitive repairs, including replacing the timber deck with non-slip surfacing, grit blasting and repainting the cast iron components, removing vegetation, and repairing the masonry. Preserving this bridge continues Brunel’s legacy by maintaining a distinctive feature that has delighted train enthusiasts for more than 160 years.
Additionally, long-standing plans to build four new homes in the grounds of the Old Vicarage in Midsomer Norton have been revived. Initially refused by Wansdyke District Council in 1992 and subsequently approved on appeal but expired, the proposal has resurfaced 33 years later with a submitted application for planning in principle to Bath and North East Somerset Council.
The proposed terrace of homes would be accessed via the existing vicarage driveway, with gardens extending to Church Lane, closely reflecting the original approved scheme.
Finally, Woodspring Wings Model Aeroplane Club near Yatton is seeking permission to replace their aging 1990s clubhouse—which originated as a repurposed 1970s mobile telephone exchange—with a modern, factory-built container conversion. The upgrade aims to enhance facilities for current and future club members.
All these diverse applications highlight a vibrant phase of development and conservation efforts shaping Somerset’s landscape and heritage.