New homes on Somerset Levels must be for people with ‘local connection’, council rules
Councillors reject bid to drop “local connection” rule despite claims of low demand for the self-build homes
New homes in a small village on the Somerset Levels must be built for a people with a “local connection”, Somerset Council has ruled.
South West Strategic Developments held a consultation in late-2023 over plans to build up to 46 homes and a convenience store on the Load Pool Farm site either side of the A372 New Road on the eastern edge of Othery.
The land promoter secured permission from the council’s planning committee north in August 2024 for the first phase of the development, comprising seven homes on the southern side of the road.
The promoter (which is based in Epsom in Surrey) applied to remove the need for these homes to go to people with a “local connection”, citing a lack of interest following its marketing of the site.
But councillors flatly refused to allow this change, arguing that it risked “driving a coach and horses” through its entire planning policy.
The site lies south of the existing homes on Peppers Close, and is currently occupied by agricultural buildings.
Two of the new homes will be offered at the open market rate, while the others will be self-build plots.
A total of 15 open car parking spaces will be provided on-site, along with eight further spaces in covered car ports.
A new access road will be created to connect the homes to the A372, providing the new owners with a straightforward commuting route to either Bridgwater or Langport.
Within the original planning permission, a condition was included which ensured that the self-build properties could only be built and occupied by someone “with an appropriate local connection to the parish of Othery” (such as working in the village, or having a family member living in the parish).
Members of the council’s planning committee north (which handles major applications within the former Sedgemoor area) were told in Bridgwater on December 9 that this condition could be removed, given that there had been “little interest in the site as a whole or individual plots” in the last 12 months.
Councillor Bob Filmer (Conservative, Brent) opposed the change, arguing it would set a “dangerous” precedent for other developments in the more rural parts of Somerset.
He said: “It feels like there’s a danger here that we potentially are setting ourselves up to allow speculative development in rural areas.
“Othery is not a settlement that is destined to take growth in its own right: it’s there to have growth that meets its own needs.
“If we are allowing growth that doesn’t meet its needs, that’s driving a coach and horses through our policy.”
Councillor Gill Slocombe (Conservative, Bridgwater West) concurred: “I think this does open the floodgates – I’m a little bit worried about this one.”
Councillor Matt Martin (whose King Alfred division includes the site) said that the lack of market interest in the site was the fault of the developer and the council should not change its position.
He said: “What is being marketed here is a development opportunity for the best part of £1m.
“Nobody’s bought it because nobody can afford £800,000 for the site – I couldn’t afford that.
“I can’t help thinking there’s been a machination here – nothing illegal, nothing untoward, but there’s been a bit of ducking and diving.”
After around half an hour’s debate, the committee voted to refuse the plans by six votes to zero, with two abstentions.