Ambitious Plans, Anxious Traders: The Debate Over the Yeovil Town Centre Masterplan
As the consultation concludes today, strong opinions surface about car-park closures and the future of the town.
Today marks the final day of the public consultation on the draft town-centre masterplan for Yeovil, drawn up by Somerset Council.
The plan sets out a vision for revitalising Yeovil’s heart: improved pedestrian and cycle access, a re-worked public realm, and several key development sites that could deliver housing, amenities and new uses for under-utilised land.
One of the most contentious elements is the proposal to release a number of existing car parks in the town centre. According to the draft masterplan documents, some of the key car-park sites are classed as “opportunity sites” for development—most notably the North Lane and Court Ash car parks, the Box Factory/South Street car park area, and the Earle Street car park.
The council emphasises that the masterplan is not a fixed blueprint but a framework "Responses from the consultation will be analysed and may lead to amendments before formal adoption."
Nevertheless, the possibility that up to 600 parking spaces could be removed to make way for housing and other uses has sparked concern among local businesses and residents.
From the business community, Jane, who runs Café 50 in Princes Street, adds a frontline perspective “We have over 30 independent businesses … All of them would be significantly impacted by the closure of these car parks. … Many of our customers, particularly the elderly or disabled, rely on the accessible parking this site provides.”
She fears that if parking disappears, footfall will fall, and the ecosystem of small businesses — cafés, florists, pet shops, hairdressers — could decline in tandem.
Supporters of the masterplan say that Yeovil needs to adapt, and that the set-piece sites identified in the plan provide an opportunity for a more modern, attractive, and connected town centre. The plans could see three town centre sites - Court Ash, North Lane and Stars Lane - sold for redevelopment.
The council’s transport team emphasises that parking usage in certain town-centre car parks has been declining for years and that the planning tools now include greater focus on walking, cycling, public transport and accessibility.
Jane points out “If our businesses close … our community would be poorer for it. … Closing these car parks would put off a lot of visitors from the outlying parishes from coming to Yeovil.”
With the consultation closing today, responses will now be collected and reviewed by the council. The next steps, according to the committee report, include updating the draft masterplan where appropriate and then preparing it for formal adoption—at which point it becomes a “material planning consideration” for future development applications.
Crucially, the council states that all proposals made in the consultation will be considered. This means that the feedback, including concerns about car-park closures, parking provision and accessibility, is formally part of the process.
For businesses and residents worried about the immediate future of the car parks and their livelihoods, the message is: this is not yet decided. The masterplan sets out a broad direction, not fixed commitments.
As the consultation closes today, it’s now up to the community to make their voices heard. Whether the eventual plan strikes the right balance between ambition and practical access will determine whether Yeovil’s regeneration is truly inclusive—or leaves some of its stakeholders behind.