Residents of Shepton Mallet face a fresh fight on their hands to prevent more homes being built at the southern edge of their settlement.

The Pegasus Planning Group applied in May 2022 to build 22 homes on Westhway Lane in Shepton Mallet, including seven affordable properties.

Mendip District Council refused the plans in late-September 2022, criticising the lack of public open space within the masterplan, the possible loss of nearby trees and the lack of a local phosphates solution.

Shepton Mallet LVA LLP is now having a second stab at developing the site, reducing the number of homes to 18 and creating a ‘pocket park’ for local people.

The new homes will be constructed on the western side of Westway Lane, with an attenuation pond being created at the northern end to reduce the risk of flooding.

The new pocket park will be in the centre of the development – though it will not include any children’s play equipment, with the nearest play area being several minutes’ walk away on Queen’s Road.

A spokesman for Pegasus Planning (representing the developer) said: “This scheme has been designed with a sense of ownership in mind.

“Public and private spaces are well-defined through the careful positioning of buildings.

“The streets and open space will benefit from the sense of safety and security afforded to them by natural surveillance from the enclosing buildings.”

David Hinder, designing out crime officer at Avon and Somerset Constabulary, raised no formal objection to the plans but made a number of suggestions as to how the designs could be improved.

He said: “Looking at images of the existing properties, with their orientations, boundary fencing and the tree line, I am not sure how good sight lines will be across into the new development.

“Where parking is designed to be adjacent to, or between units, a gable end window should be considered to allow residents an unrestricted view over their vehicles.

“The pocket park is minimal in size. I am concerned how close this will be to these dwellings, parking spaces and side boundaries.”

Councillor Martin Lovell, who represents the Shepton Mallet division, has not yet expressed an opinion on the plans.

However, he did state that he expected a final decision on the plans to be made by the council’s planning committee east (which makes decisions on major applications in the former Mendip area), rather than being made through the delegated powers of its planning officers.

He said: “My anticipation is that this application will need to go for determination by the planning committee, but I am happy to be swayed otherwise if the opinion of Shepton Mallet Town Council and the officer’s recommendation suggest an alternative.”

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the plans by either mechanism before Christmas.

LDRS, Daniel Mumby