Extension of rural Somerset cycle route approved despite farmers’ fears
The new routes will help people in the area reach schools and other amenities without needing a car
Two new sections of a rural Somerset cycle route can be delivered in the near-future after plans were approved, despite concerns raised by local farmers.
Lovell Homes is in the early stages of constructing its Station Fields development, which will eventually deliver 350 new homes on the A39 Priest Street at the western edge of Williton, along with commercial space, leisure facilities and public open space.
As part of the legal agreements with Somerset Council, the Tamworth-based developer promised to deliver nearly a mile (1.5km) of walking and cycling links near the site to make it easier for new residents to access local schools and other facilities.
The Wyndham Estate (which secured outline permission for the development in November 2021) applied in November 2025 to deliver these links, forming an extension of the Steam Coast Trail and providing a car-free route between Williton and the neighbouring town of Watchet.
Somerset Council’s planning committee west (which handles major applications within the former Somerset West and Taunton area) originally delayed a decision on these plans in late-April, citing “errors” made by its planning officers.
The same committee voted unanimously to approve the proposals on Tuesday afternoon (June 23) – though concerns remain about how the construction will work around the needs of local farmers.
Once completed, the Steam Coast Trail will provide a safe route for walking, cycling and wheeling between Minehead and Watchet via Blue Anchor, Washford and Williton.
Two sections have already been delivered – one between Dunster Beach car park and Blue Anchor (which opened in December 2016), and one north of the West Somerset Railway heritage line in Washford (which opened in December 2018 and links up with the Mineral Line to Watchet).
Under these latest plans, two short new sections will be delivered – one leading from the Station Fields site towards the Orchard Brooks development, and one further to the east.
The western route (‘phase one’) will run from the B3191 Five Bells north of Danesfield Church of England Middle School and following the existing public footpath north of the Monksilver Stream as far as Doniford Road, near St. Peter’s Church of England First School.
This section will follow an existing public right of way, with removable bollards being installed to prevent unauthorised access to the route or the neighbouring farmland.
A new crossing will be provided on Doniford Road, allowing this phase to link up to existing pedestrian and cycling provision on the Orchard Brooks estate (which was built on land once owned by the Wyndham Estate).
The eastern route (‘phase two’) will run from the eastern edge of the Orchard Brooks estate behind the hedges on Doniford Road, running alongside (but separate from) the road and re-emerging at a new crossing near the roundabout where the road joins Alamein Road, Cassino Road and Rangoon Road on the edge of Watchet.
This latter route will provide a connection between Williton and Watchet, allowing residents of the Underwood Gardens estate (comprising 139 houses delivered by Edenstone Homes) to access facilities within their neighbouring villages without relying on short car journeys.
Both sections of path will be four metres wide (allowing cyclists and mobility scooter users to pass safely in each direction) and will be constructed using similar, low-impact methods to the existing sections of the Steam Coast Trail.
Robert Dibble, who farms the land to the north of Danesfield School, raised concerns about the timing of the paths’ construction when the planning committee west met in Taunton on Tuesday afternoon (June 23).
He told the committee: “The planning application refers to ‘the continuation of farming’, but as I see it at the moment, it may produce the opposite effect.
“The original location of the bollards was one of my primary objections – as it was for Paul Hill, who farms the land next to me. I understand that has now been resolved.
“They are taking such a large area for the construction compound on the first field. It’s such a small field, you are effectively taken it out of action for the minimum of a year.
“I don’t know what time of year they Lovell Homes intend to build it. Bear in mind it’s arable crops – you can’t just stick them in any time of the year.
“The access into the middle field is very restricted already, and any further restrictions will make combine harvester access impossible.
“I get in there currently by climbing the hedge one side or straddling the ditch on the other.”
Under the agreed planning conditions, the new paths must be constructed within five years of approval being granted or before 90 per cent of the Station Fields homes are completed and occupied – whichever date comes first.
Councillor Derek Perry (Liberal Democrat, Rowbarton and Staplegrove) said he was “generally very happy” with the plans, especially opening up a hedge within the Orchard Brooks estate to provide a connection to phase two.
He added: “It’s great that this has been improved, but I think we all agree that the devil is in the detail.
“The really good news here is the option of going through the Aller Mead estate by taking out part of that hedge.”
Councillor Nick O’Donnell (who represents the same division) said he was supportive but felt more could be done to provide a safe link between the Orchard Brooks estate and Danesfield School.
He said: “We’re building a cycle path right past a secondary school, and there seems to be no access or diversion of the path into the school, which I think would be quite a nice touch.
“It’s probably too late to change that, but it seems a shame to have missed this opportunity.”
Councillor Frances Nicholson (Conservative, Dulverton and Exmoor) welcomed the new safe route to the two schools, but asked the committee to heed Mr Dibble’s warnings about the timing of the paths’ construction.
She said: “It would be a good thing if the connecting route through the Orchard Brooks estate could be adopted as a public right of way rather than a permissive path, because the latter can always be withdrawn.
“I’m glad that the gateways to the farmland are going to be made available and possible to use; however, I wonder if there is room for a condition that considers the timing of the works?
“The temporary impact on farming of the two construction compounds could be greater or lesser depending to the time of year when work is done.”
The committee voted unanimously to approve the plans after around 45 minutes’ debate.