New plans to build 90 homes near Somerset rugby club

Waddeton Park Ltd. secured outline planning permission in May 2023 to deliver new homes opposite Tor Rugby Club on Lowerside Lane in Glastonbury, following a successful appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

Since this decision, the land promoter has been working with the Minster Property Group - based in Market Harborough, in Leicestershire - to bring forward more detailed proposals for the allocated site.

Revised proposals (known as a reserved matters application) have now been submitted to Somerset Council, with a final decision being expected some time before Christmas.

The site lies between two existing sets of allotments, a short distance from both the rugby club and Glastonbury Football Club’s ground on Godney Road.

Revised plans for 90 homes on Lowerside Lane in Glastonbury (Image: JGA)

The land was allocated within the Mendip Local Plan Part II to deliver a minimum of 50 new homes, with the plan described it as "a logical extension to the adjoining large site" on Bligh Bond Road, where Keepmoat Regeneration and the Sanctuary Housing Association have delivered 133 houses.

Under the proposals, both sets of allotments will be preserved, with a new solitary access being created onto Lowerside Lane and a spine road running along the southern boundaries.

The homes will be delivered in three clusters at the southern end of the site, with the northern end being devoted to play areas, attenuation ponds and significant landscaping to provide a buffer towards Common Moor Drove and the neighbouring countryside.

Pedestrian access will also be provided onto Common Moor Drove, not far from the Butler Carnival Park where the town’s annual carnival carts are constructed and stored.

Jake Stentiford from Surface Planning (representing the developers) said: "The proposed layout is heavily landscape-led, with significant areas of green infrastructure integrated throughout the site - including extensive open space and landscaping, a pocket park, woodland walk and children’s play areas, with extensive provision of native trees and hedgerows.

"The strong emphasis on green infrastructure and landscaping is considered to result in a strong sense of place.

"Car parking has been accommodated in a manner that avoids domination of the street scene, with on-plot parking maintaining a pedestrian-friendly public realm which is well-integrated with public routes throughout the areas of open space."

The site lies around a mile's walk from the town centre, with residents being able to use the existing underpass to pick up the active travel route along the A39 Wells Road.

Alongside other facilities, the new homes will be within a 20-minute walk of Glastonbury Surgery on Feversham Lane - which has secured funding two additional clinical rooms as part of a £1m investment by central government across 16 GP surgeries in Somerset.

Local resident Will Parfitt has criticised the plans, arguing that more allotments should be provided instead to boost Somerset's food security.

He said: "This land is one of the rare spots adjacent to many homes where people can freely walk without fear of traffic.

"The field largely floods even without the heaviest rain and isn't really suitable for building houses on.

"The access from the bypass is very poorly placed and too narrow especially considering the speed at which cars use this bypass.

"The land would be better deployed by increasing the allotments area to give many more people the chance of food security (which is especially important considering current world affairs).

"This plan extends the town's boundaries - have all the implications of that for the future really been thought through?

Planned site of 90 homes on Lowerside Lane in Glastonbury (Image: Daniel Mumby)

"It's not like there aren't more suitable places to build. The 'life opportunity' for purchasers will be worse than that offered to those on the exsisting houses built along the same road nearer to town."

The council is expected to make a decision on the revised proposal in the coming months.

Due to the scale and significance of the plans, such a decision is likely to be taken in public by its planning committee east (which handles major applications within the former Mendip area), rather than through the delegated powers of its planning officers).