UP to 27 new homes and a commercial garage could soon be built in a small Somerset village between Bath and Frome.
Stonewood Partnerships (Bell Hill) Ltd. has applied to create a new development on the Bell Hill Garage site on the A366 Bell Hill in Norton St. Philip.
The developer – which is based in Chippenham – will demolish existing redundant buildings to create new access onto the main road, with the commercial unit remaining at the southern edge.
Mendip District Council is expected to make a decision on the plans in early spring.
The site comprises the garage and the green space to the north as far as the boundary with Chever’s Lane.
In addition to the main access from Bell Hill (near the newly-revamped commercial premises), pedestrian access will be provided onto both Chever’s Lane and The Barton, with an attenuation pond being constructed at the site’s western edge.
Eight of the 27 homes will be affordable – narrowly meeting the council’s target for 30 per cent affordable housing for any new development of ten or more houses.
A spokesman for PAD Design (representing the applicant) said: “Our vision is to bring the underutilised site at Bell Hill to fruition by creating a high-quality and contextually responsive extension to the existing community.
“The proposals will be designed to be both distinctive and responsive to the local character – and will be representative of ‘time and place’.
“We will provide an inclusive mix of new homes to support the village.”
Stonewood is currently constructing 44 homes and 100 new offices at the J&T Beaven site in Holt, near Bradford-on-Avon.
The company recently applied for permission to build 45 new homes on Warminster Road in Beckington, near the busy A36 – but the council refused the plans, branding them “disproportionate”.
Development in Norton St. Philip has proved to be a contentious issue in recent years, with villagers having recently concluded a protracted legal battle over its neighbourhood plan (which allocates land for future housing and employment growth).
Much of the controversy centres around the Fortescue Fields development, with residents and councillors alike arguing that the phase two site (which, coincidentally, will also comprise 27 homes) lies outside the defined settlement boundary.
The phase two site was adopted by the council in December 2021 as part of its Local Plan Part II, but a decision on the particular application has not yet been made.
Plans for a further 30 homes on the B3110 Frome Road, at the south-eastern tip of the village, were refused in May 2021.
The council is expected to make a ruling on the Bell Hill plans in early spring.
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