Work on new crossroads to unlock 252 Yeovil homes could begin soon
Plans for a signalised junction on Mudford Road could pave the way for the first homes at Oakmere Rise, with work potentially starting during the school holidays if approved
Work could soon begin on a new crossroads on a busy Yeovil road which could enable the delivery of 252 new houses.
Yeovil LVA LLP secured outline planning permission on appeal in March 2024 to deliver a new housing development on the Mudford Sock site, located north of the A359 Mudford Road at the town’s north-eastern edge.
The land was subsequently sold to Bloor Homes South West, which has submitted plans for the first phase (comprising 109 homes) of what has become christened ‘Oakmere Rise’.
The Swindon-based house-builder is now seeking permission to begin construction on a new junction which would link the new homes to Mudford Road, turning the existing T-junction with Lyde Road into a crossroads.
The sites lies close to the Up Mudford urban extension, where Abbey Manor Homes secured outline planning permission in October 2024 to deliver 765 new homes, commercial space, a care home and an extension to Primrose Lane Primary School – a decision which was recently upheld following an unsuccessful judicial review by Mudford Parish Council.
The new crossroads will be fully signalised, with pedestrian and cycle crossings being provided at the entrance to the housing estate and on the southern approach, along with an uncontrolled crossing on Lyde Road.
The plans also entail delivering a new pavement along the northern side of Mudford Road to the west, providing a safe walking route from the new homes to Fairmead School.
Under the outline planning permission, no construction work within the site – including this new crossroads – can begin until the developer and council have agreed the design of a ‘wetland cascade’ at the northern end of the site, which is designed to prevent any net increase in phosphates within the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment area.
Bloor is seeking to amend this particular condition to allow construction of the access to begin before the wetlands design has been approved – with the proviso that no homes can be built or occupied until the wetlands have been delivered.
Colin Danks, director of Copperfield L&P Ltd (representing the developer), said that Bloor was keen to begin construction work on the site as soon as possible.
He said: “There is no change to the timing of delivery and the amendments sought allow the council to approve the wetland details in the same way ahead of housing development commencing.
“There is no material change to the requirement to provide, approve, and complete the treatment wetland cascade prior to first occupation, so there is no practical issue with allowing the access road to commence.
“Our client is keen to progress the development.
“Granting this change would help facilitate the convenient delivery of early infrastructure in respect of the consented access, at the same time as supporting a programme that accelerates housing delivery and supports the council’s housing land supply position.”
Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the proposals by the late-summer.
If approval is granted, Bloor has indicated it would begin to carry out the highway improvements and construction of the new junction during the school holidays, which Mr Danks described as “a benefit to the local community”.