Revised plans for a major housing development on the edge of a Somerset town have been submitted – as the local authority seeks to find alternative housing sites in the area.

Outline planning permission is currently in place for 270 homes on the A367 Green Park Road in Midsomer Norton, on land behind the White Post Inn.

Permission was first secured by Waddeton Park Ltd. in July 2022, with the decision being ratified by Mendip District Council again in March 2023 after a judicial review removed the site from its Local Plan Part II.

The site has now been sold to Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, which has put forward amended designs for the same number of properties.

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the plans by the spring of 2024 – near its deadline to find new housing sites to offset those removed in the judicial review.

The Mendip Local Plan Part II – which was ratified in December 2021 – identified 37 additional sites where at least 2,700 additional new homes could be delivered by 2028, on top of existing allocations within the Local Plan Part I (approved in 2014).

Norton St. Philip Parish Council won a judicial review against Mendip District Council just before Christmas 2022, arguing successfully that the Planning Inspectorate had not followed the proper processes regarding five of the identified sites – three of which lay on the edge of Midsomer Norton.

Somerset Council now has until March 2024 to review whether these five sites are still suitable to deliver housing – and to find alternatives if they are not.

In all, land for 505 new homes would be needed in the north-eastern corner of the former Mendip area – with the new plans, if approved, being able to supply more than half of those.

The White Post site was previously described as "the meat in the sandwich" when the outline plans were approved, since it lies between two already approved housing sites.

The site is bordered to the north by the Beecham Place development (which lies within the Bath and North East Somerset Council area) and to the south by the Beauchamps Drive site, where planning permission for 75 homes was secured on appeal.

As per the outline approval, 30 per cent of the new homes will be affordable (the equivalent of 81 properties), with access being provided into the adjoining housing estates to create a safe walking route to the nearby Norton Hill Primary School and the nearby rugby club.

A spokesman for Turley Birmingham (representing the developers) said: "The development will make a positive contribution to the character of Midsomer Norton, drawing on elements of the historic built form to provide an improved entrance into the town.

"The development seeks to create a safe place where sustainable transport options are available to residents and it is safe to play.

"The public realm is an integral part of the design of the development at the White Post site, making it an attractive place to live and work.

"The development aims to provide a diverse neighbourhood allowing for a strong sense of community, characterised by attractive green spaces with plenty of opportunity for formal and informal recreation."

David Wilson Homes have recently been completing construction on the Delamere Park development of 82 homes north of Nunney Catch roundabout, with work expected to begin shortly on more than 140 homes either side of the B3092 The Mount at the southern edge of Frome.

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on these latest proposals early in the new year – though it is not clear whether this decision will be taken in public by its planning committee east (which handles major applications in the former Mendip area) or through the delegated powers of its planning officers.

Decisions also remain pending on the other two Midsomer Norton sites which were struck out of the Local Plan Part II – namely for 190 homes on the A367 Fosseway South (put forward by Persimmon Homes Wessex) and up to 60 homes on Orchard Value (submitted by Curo).

The review of the Local Plan Part II sites will be completed before the first round of public consultation begins on the new Somerset-wide Local Plan, which must be implemented by March 2028 at the latest.