Judicial review over 27 Castle Cary homes moves to next phase
Local historians claim the land proposed for the homes includes an unexploded bomb
Efforts to block a contentious housing development in Castle Cary through a judicial review have taken a step forward.
The Yarlington housing association was granted permission on appeal in April 2019 to build 27 new homes on the Foxes Run site, which lies off Bridgewater Buildings at the south-western edge of Castle Cary.
Abri (which replaced Yarlington as part of a merger in late-2020) has been urged by local residents to scrap the development, with local historians claiming that the land includes an unexploded bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe in 1942.
The developer (which has strongly denied the presence of such a bomb) allegedly began initial work on clearing the site in April 2022, after the initial planning permission had expired – with local councillor Henry Hobhouse calling in October 2022 for the permission to be quashed.
Abri applied to change several conditions surrounding the development in August 2024 in a bid to begin construction – with the Planning Inspectorate subsequently ruling in its favour.
Following the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal costs, Mr Hobhouse had formally launched the judicial review process with a letter to the Planning Inspectorate.
The development site lies between Bridgewater Buildings and the existing homes on Remalard Court, with the former providing the sole vehicular access.
Abri confirmed in July 2024 that the development would be “a 100 per cent affordable housing scheme for local households, making a meaningful contribution to the council’s housing supply”.
Mr Hobhouse (one of two Liberal Democrat councillors for Castle Cary) claimed that planning inspector C. Butcher (who visited the site in November 2025) had made his decision on the basis of inaccurate information.
He alleged: “The planning inspector’s report contains inaccuracies, particularly regarding the traffic on Mill Lane.
“Contrary to the report, waste lorries have not been a common sight, and this misrepresentation minimises the real impact that heavy traffic will have on our narrow residential lane.
“The approved plan involves bringing in around 3,200 tonnes of building materials, which will result in numerous heavy goods vehicle movements.
“This will significantly disrupt the daily lives, safety, and peace of residents in Brookfields, Mill Lane, and the surrounding areas.”
The letter to the Planning Inspectorate, sent by barristers from Acuity Law (instructed by Mr Hobhouse), identified three alleged grounds on which any judicial review would proceed:
The inspector “failed to provide” sufficient evidence that the 2019 appeal decision had begun to be implemented
The inspector “failed to take account” of evidence about road safety, especially regarding the proposed access
The inspector “acted irrationally” by allowing a key planning condition from the 2019 planning approval to be removed or altered
The High Court will rule in due course whether the judicial review is allowed to proceed to a one-day hearing.
This one-day hearing, if approved, could take place before the end of the year, with the outcome being expected in early-2027.