Developers are again trying to get the go-ahead to build more than 50 homes on the edge of a Somerset town after the scheme was previously turned down over fears it would leave children facing an 11-mile school run.

Housing association Curo wants to knock down two homes on Orchard Vale in Midsomer Norton to build 54 new ones on the field behind. But while Midsomer Norton lies in the Bath and North East Somerset Council area, the field lies across the border in the Somerset Council area, meaning new residents would pay no council tax towards services in their town, could face a six-mile journey to their GP, and send their children to a secondary school 11 miles away in Wells.

Somerset Council's east planning committee refused planning permission for the scheme off the back of these concerns in November. Bath and North East Somerset Council, which also needs to approve the cross-border plans, later refused planning permission too. But now Curo is brining the plans back, insisting that people would be able to access the GP and probably schools in Midsomer Norton itself.

A new planning application for the scheme is live on the Bath and North East Somerset Council planning portal and is expected to be validated on Somerset Council's Mendip planning portal soon. Stuart Smith, technical director at Curo, said: "We're resubmitting this planning application because we're dedicated to tackling the housing crisis in our region.

"Recent estimates show that approximately 1,300 homes need to be built each year to meet the housing needs of Mendip and B&NES, but the supply of housing is falling significantly short of this. Planning officers – who are impartial experts – recommended our previous submission for approval, reflecting this pressing need for housing.

"In this updated application, we've sought to directly address concerns raised by members of Somerset Council's Planning East Committee. We're proposing 54 new high-quality homes, including 30% affordable housing. We've provided further information and commitment on how our development will improve the local infrastructure.

"Residents will have easy access to services such as GPs and schools, and we've committed to funding improvements to pedestrian and cycling routes, better bus stops and public open spaces. Additionally, we've significantly improved the sustainability of the homes that we are proposing, with all our new homes greatly exceeding sustainability requirements, featuring air source heat pumps and solar panels."

The housing association insisted people would not face a six-mile journey to the Oakhill GP surgery, as councillors had feared, and that the development would not be in its catchment area. Instead, people would be in the catchment of Somerton House surgery in Midsomer Norton, as GP catchment areas do not follow council borders.

Although secondary school pupils would not automatically qualify for places in a different council area, Curo only expects there to be eight people of secondary school age living in the new homes and there should be space at Midsomer Norton's Somervale and Norton Hill secondary schools or Radstock's Writhlington School to accommodate them. If there is not sufficient space, Curo said it could provide the money to pay for transport to take them the 11 miles to the Blue School in Wells.

But Shaun Hughes, who represents Midsomer Norton North on Bath and North East Somerset Council, said it was "frustrating" to see the application come back again so soon. He warned: "Curo tell us that they pride themselves in being part of and listening to the community. Clearly this is not the case in this instance. Surely Curo should be aware of the huge pressure our local services are already under? Our doctors and dental practices are full; our infrastructure cannot cope.

"Residents of this new development will pay council tax to Somerset Council and therefore make no contribution to the infrastructure and services they will use in Midsomer Norton and any affordable/social homes will be allocated to residents from areas such as Frome and Shepton Mallet and not Midsomer Norton.

"Our area does not have the additional jobs to support this level of Mendip housing and is therefore likely to increase serious commuting issues we are trying to address between Midsomer Norton and Bath and Bristol and will have a negative impact on our ability to achieve our climate emergency objectives.

He added: "Sadly, as Curo have chosen to launch a new application, the 200+ written objections made against the previous application will disappear so residents will need to lodge new objections before the deadline of March 28."

You can view and comment on the plans on the Bath and North East Somerset Council planning portal here: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/webforms/planning/details.html?refval=24%2F00662%2FFUL#details_Section