An eight-year planning dispute in Taunton is set to conclude after Christmas, with the final decision resting with the Planning Inspectorate. Gladman Developments has been seeking approval since November 2017 to construct homes on land adjacent to Pyrland Farm, located off Cheddon Road on the northern edge of Somerset’s county town.
Initially, Gladman proposed 180 homes, but the plan was rejected by Taunton Deane Borough Council in July 2019. Subsequently, revised proposals reduced the development to 150, and later 112 homes, following extensive negotiations with planning officers from Somerset West and Taunton Council and later Somerset Council, the new unitary authority since April 2023.
Despite the site’s allocation for residential use within the Taunton Deane Core Strategy in 2012, it originally anticipated up to 45 homes. The current plan proposes 112 homes, including 28 affordable units (25%). A new western access point on Cheddon Road and a pedestrian route linking to Lyngford Lane will integrate the site with nearby developments, such as phase three of the Nerrols Farm project.
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The development will contribute financially towards local schools and enhance walking and cycling infrastructure along Cheddon Road, a key segment of Taunton’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).
A Gladman spokesperson stated that the proposals comply with most of the council’s development policies, noting that areas of conflict involve outdated policies given the council’s lack of a five-year housing land supply. They emphasized that the benefits of the project significantly outweigh any potential harm.
The appeal was submitted on the grounds of non-determination, as the council failed to reach a decision within a reasonable timeframe. A major cause for delay was securing phosphate mitigation due to the site’s location within the River Tone catchment, which impacts the Somerset Levels and Moors. To counteract phosphate emissions, Gladman plans to fallow approximately 7.7 hectares (19 acres) of agricultural land nearby, equivalent to about nine football pitches.
Interested parties can submit formal statements to the Planning Inspectorate by December 8, quoting case number 3374315. The appeal will be assessed via written representations only, without an in-person public inquiry. The appointed inspector is expected to conduct at least one site visit after final submissions, due by December 22. A decision is anticipated by early spring 2026.