Long-running plans to build homes on the former Yeo Valley site in Cheddar have taken a step forward following a vote by local councillors.

Yeo Valley Farm and Holt Farms Ltd. applied in August 2018 for outline permission to build up to 100 new homes on their former storage facility off the A371 Axbridge Road in Cheddar, along with a 60-bed care home, 12 extra care units, business units and a nursery.

Sedgemoor District Council‘s development committee voted to approve the plans in November 2020, despite concerns about the capacity of local schools and the impact on the Mendip Hills national landscape.

The legal agreements surrounding the site were not signed until late-May 2023 – by which time “a range of commercial risks” surrounding the development had emerged, prompting the owners to sell the site to Homes England.

Somerset Council has now approved revised proposals for the site put forward by Homes England – meaning that work to clear the site and build new homes could finally begin early in the new year.

Under the revised plans, 100 new homes will be delivered along with five “live/work units”, which are designed for self-employed people who wish to work from home.

A 60-bed care home will also be built alongside 12 ‘extra care’ units for people aged 55 and over who are more capable of living independently but want access to communal facilities.

Revised plans for 100 homes, 60-bed care home, 12 extra care units, commercial space and nursery on the former Yeo Valley Farms site on the A371 Axbridge Road in Cheddar (Graphic: LDA Design)
Revised plans for 100 homes, 60-bed care home, 12 extra care units, commercial space and nursery on the former Yeo Valley Farms site on the A371 Axbridge Road in Cheddar (Graphic: LDA Design) (Revised plans for 100 homes, 60-bed care home, 12 extra care units, commercial space and nursery on the former Yeo Valley Farms site on the A371 Axbridge Road in Cheddar (Graphic: LDA Design))

Both these care facilities and up to 750 sq m of commercial space will be included near the main road to “make them more attractive to market and for future residents”, with the nursery being located at the south-east corner of the site.

Homes England (which provides grants to deliver new housing developments across the UK) intends to demolish the existing buildings within the site before selling the site on to a third party developer, who will then deliver what is laid out in the planning application.

Somerset Council’s planning committee north debated the revised proposals for the site when it met on November 12.

Councillor Bob Filmer (Brent) said: “The tweaks that have been made appear to be improvements. I’m glad to see the drainage strategy has moved to an attenuation pond rather than tanks under the ground – maintenance of that is going to be so much more sensible going forward.”

Councillor Alistair Hendry (Highbridge and Burnham South) agreed: “I’ve no problem with this whatsoever. The developers and architects have clearly done their homework.”

Cheddar has seen significant housing growth in the last few years, with the delivery of the Oak Park development (comprising 96 homes on the A371 Upper New Road), the Peregrine View estate (60 homes off Hellier’s Lane) and the Steart Farm site (58 homes on Wedmore Road).

Construction also recently began on the Lavender Rise development of 53 homes on Houlgate Way in the neighbouring town of Axbridge.

Councillor Pauline Ham (whose Cheddar division includes the site) added: “The plans for this site are extremely well-thought out.”

The committee voted unanimously to approve the revised plans after less than half an hour’s debate.