Plans submitted for eight new industrial units on the edge of Radstock have been criticised by ecologists.

The plans, submitted back in October 2022, for the new units to land at the rear of Midsomer Enterprise Park, include landscape and ecological management details along with how developers propose to protect nearby trees.

However the ecology report into the scheme argues that there is not enough detail in terms of a Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment and revisions to the scheme are needed to demonstrate the scheme can measurably avoid net loss of biodiversity and not cause harm to existing habitats, in particular trees and the nearby woodland belt.

Engineering works to put in the units have not been properly explained, write ecologists adding : " The extent of excavation required is also not clear and will have implications for potential impacts to on- and off-site vegetation and trees. It appears that the scheme will require excavation into existing vegetated slopes and boundary vegetation, where vegetation forms part of the woodland habitat and should be retained, and protected and maintained in the long term. Clarification is needed to show clearly the extent of excavation and the extent and nature of vegetation that will be impacted / removed (including vegetation)."

The site, off Radstock Road, was previously part of the coal fields, so there is also a mining report available. In that it says the current Enterprise Park is within an area which had up to 11 seams of coal, between 30 metres to 620 metres below the surface which were last worked in 1966.

The park is already home to around 19 local businesses, and most units are occupied. Details on the B&NES planning site under 22/04003/FUL