A VILLAGE nestled between Cheddar and Wells could grow by 60 more houses if plans are approved.
The property arm of the Church of England, Church Commissioners for England (CCE), has submitted outline plans to build up to 60 houses on farmland south of Roughmoor Lane in Westbury-sub-Mendip.
The site, which sits near the busy A371, is allocated for development within the Mendip Local Plan Part 2.
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30% of the homes would be affordable – the minimum required. Also included in the plans is land for community use, which the applicant said could be used to deliver a community facility.
The vehicular access to the site is proposed via a new junction between Roughmoor Lane and the busy A371, with a section of Roughmoor Lane diverted through the site.
The Bristol-based agent Lichfields, who submitted plans on behalf of the CCE, said: “The new junction is approximately 15m to the east of the existing junction and will significantly improve road safety, extending visibility for drivers egressing the junction.”
The proposed access arrangements Picture: Lichfields
The applicant says the plans come following “extensive” consultation with Somerset Council, the parish council, and the Westbury-sub-Mendip community since 2021, with two public consultations taking place in 2022 and 2024.
Feedback from the WSM Parish Council has resulted in the applicant planning to create a controlled crossing on the A371 to provide access to the village shop and school to the north.
Lichfields said consultation with the community and the parish council has influenced the site’s design.
“The Land Use Parameter Plan and Illustrative Masterplan accompanying this application has been designed with due care [and] consideration of the extensive consultation process and feedback received from stakeholders and the community,” they said.
“A succession of changes to the proposals has been made to accommodate suggestions and address concerns wherever possible.
“Existing green infrastructure has been enhanced and protected, providing for a richer landscape and ecological diversity than the current use as arable farmland.”
They added: “The new primary access will provide for a safer connection with Roughmoor Lane and provide space for the ‘Community Green’.”
To view and comment on the plans, visit somerset.gov.uk and search reference 2025/0137/OUT.
Click here for more planning news from your Somerset Leveller.
Still as what you might expect, there is no safe pedestrian access to the core of the village the access road is going to cause more danger due to more traffic making it more dangerous for the pedestrians / elderly/ children and families with pushchairs there has been no agreement with safety of access to core of village as I am aware of there is no safe place for a pedestrian crossing as was stipulated in the local plan so what do church commission do bump the number of house up by another 20 they have not taken any safety issues into account or the impact or safety issues on the village and the knock on effect it will have on neighbouring villages due to backlog of more traffic on an already dangerous road , is this how or what we should expect from Church of England a place that is meant to care about people and communities,a lot of lying to the public and trying to pull the wool over there eyes this is one development that should most definitely not go ahead due to the safety impact all around.
I quite agree with you we don’t need more people or property would we have new Dr’s surgeries and New school and what about parking in Wells it can’t cope now. Such a terrible idea