An outline plan for 81 homes to be built in a village with just 107 dwellings has provoked an ‘extraordinary response’ with 235 people lodging objections with South Somerset District Council.

An application for outline planning permission for new housing on Clare Field, off Ridgeway Road in North Cadbury has sparked an outpouring of opposition. The plan includes a new access road and junction onto the A359, open green space, school parking and drop off, landscaping and associated works.

From the plan for up to 81 homes, 75% would be a mixture of between one and three bedroom houses and flats and 28 of these would be ‘affordable’.

Councillors from North Cadbury and Yarlington Parish Council voted unanimously against the scheme, stating the size of the site is too large and ‘will devastate the village’ if approved.
However, applicant Paul Longman says the proposal could improve many aspects of village life.

Chairman of the parish council, Malcolm Hunt said ‘the contrary is the case’.
He said: “North Cadbury is a village of some 450 people who were asked four years ago for their views on development in the parish. The site is far too large, it will potentially increase the size of the population by 50% and will devastate the village, envisaging as it does, a new 1km road across agricultural land joining the estate to the A359. Clare Field is a valued space on the south western side of the village. It runs closely alongside the Conservation Area and is traversed by three historic trails and walks.”

“It is in the wrong place, it is not needed and is rejected. The population generally accepts that there is a need to accept some development, provided that the numbers are reasonable and that any development is fed into gaps rather than as a satellite on the side of its historic linear shape.”

While the plan sits in North Cadbury, the parish incorporates the villages of Yarlington, Galhampton and Woolston, with a combined population of around 1,080.

Mr Longman, who lives in the parish, said: “In 2017, we responded to a request from SSDC asking for core sites with which to provide housing requirements. Since then the district council decided North Cadbury, along with 11 villages were suitable for a ‘rural settlement upgrade’, as they have a church, school, shop, pub and bus routes.”

“The parish of North Cadbury has an older demographic with below average young people living here. The number of children at the school has fallen over the years. The plan includes a car park for teachers and parents, who would be able to use the proper drop-off zone to pick up and drop off their children.”

“The access road in the plan would ease congestion. The application also incorporates plans for a village green and nature reserve. I sent out a flyer to the households in the parish as I want community engagement and am listening.”

A spokesman from South Somerset District Council said: “This application has seen a large number of comments by the public and concerns raised which will be considered and assessed by our planning team.”

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