New campsite approved near M5 in Somerset following successful appeal
Planning inspectorate overturns council decision allowing site development
Plans for a new campsite near the M5 in Somerset have officially been approved following a successful appeal, paving the way for development in the parish of Trull.
After an initial rejection in August 2023, Anthony Ormerod partnered with Cosy Barn Holidays Ltd to present amended plans, which Somerset Council refused in September 2025.
However, the Planning Inspectorate has now overturned this decision, allowing the campsite to be developed within the next year.
Situated at the corner of Dipford Road and Sweethay Lane, the site is centrally positioned between Taunton Deane services and Trull village. It's also adjacent to a planned housing development of 130 homes near Trull Cricket Club.
The campsite will feature new tent pitches along with a wildflower meadow to encourage biodiversity. Unlike prior plans, an amenities building has been removed in favour of a temporary shower and toilet block to service guests during the tourist season—which runs from March 1st to September 30th annually.
Felicity Webber from the Planning Inspectorate visited the location on 21st January and confirmed that the additional phosphates produced by the site will be processed by a package treatment plant near Dipford Road parking spaces before entering the Galmington Stream.
This measure aims to prevent negative impacts on the Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar site, protected by international law.
Enhancements such as increased landscape and orchard planting will help mitigate visual impact over time, addressing earlier concerns about harm to the area's character.
Despite some distance from local amenities, the proposed development aligns with the National Planning Policy Framework and the Trull Neighbourhood Plan, promoting sustainable rural tourism.