SOIL from a major Somerset housing development will be used to prevent flooding on the Levels after plans were approved by councillors.
The Environment Agency applied to create a “temporary material stockpile” on land north of Oliver’s Road in Middlezoy, just off the A372 between Bridgwater and Langport.
The stockpile will store soil from the Orchard Grove development site on the western edge of Taunton, and will be used to make improvements to three natural reservoirs within the Somerset Levels and Moors.
Somerset Council has now given the green light to these proposals, believing they will help to secure numerous properties and businesses from flood risk in the coming months and years.
The site lies to the north of the A372, at the eastern end of the former Westonzoyland Airfield.
The soil will be transported from the Orchard Grove development site to the new stockpile by HGVs, with up to 120 lorry movements a day being anticipated in each direction.
The material housed at the stockpile will be used to service, maintain and repair three local reservoirs which are vital for flood prevention – Southlake Moor (near Burrowbridge), Curry Moor (near North Curry) and Westmoor (near Curry Rivel).
The site will also include improved parking and turning areas, new fencing to prevent thefts or damage, and a Portakabin welfare unit for EA staff and associated contractors.
Sarah Grant from the EA addressed the council’s planning committee north (which makes decisions on major applications in the former Sedgemoor area) when met in Bridgwater to debate the plans on November 14.
She said: “These reservoirs were inspected in 2018 and 2019, and the inspector recommended a number of measures in the interest of safety for each site which must be addressed to ensure the reservoirs operate safely.
“HGVs and tractors associated with the use of this site will not travel through the village during construction.
“The storage of materials on this site for a year to 18 months is urgent and essential to facilitate the improvements of the reservoirs, to meet our statutory obligations and to ensure future climate change resilience.
“The site will be fully restored to its original use as agricultural land upon cessation of its use as a material stockpile.”
Councillor Alan Bradford (whose North Petherton division has seen significant housing growth in recent years) spoke in favour of the plans, stating: “These things have got to be done.
“It’s a big building project going on in Comeytrowe, and the soil being extracted from there will do a lot of good in future years. This is so important.”
Housing developers elsewhere in Somerset have found ways to remove topsoil from their construction sites to order to bring forward improvements elsewhere.
Stratton Land Ltd recently secured permission to move topsoil from its Hopcott Road development site in Minehead to the former Wansborough Paper Mill in Watchet – using the soil to raise the brownfield site out of immediate flood risk and make it easier to redevelop in the future.
The committee voted unanimously to approve the plans after around half an hour’s debate.
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