Nearly 200 new homes will be delivered on Yeovil’s western edge after two sets of plans were comfortably approved by local councillors.

The Abbey Manor Group has been slowly bringing forward the Bunford Park commercial site (which received outline approval in March 2011), delivering hundreds of new jobs off the A3088 between the Bunford Lane roundabout and the Lysander Road crossroads.

Its sister company Abbey Manor Developments put forward two separate applications to deliver a combined total of 185 homes to the south of the business park, with access being off Watercombe Lane.

Somerset Council’s planning committee south has given its blessing to both applications, meaning construction work could get under way within the next 12 months.

The two sites lie to the west of Watercombe Lane between the Bunford Park site and the Bunford Heights development delivered off the A30 West Coker Road by Tilia Homes.

Access will be via a new junction on Watercombe Lane, which could provide a secondary access into the business park as the southern parcels of the latter site are built out.

An improved pedestrian link will also be provided between the new homes and the Bunford Heights development, which are currently connected by a steep footpath.

The plans envision 100 homes being provided nearest the main road (split into two phases of 53 and 47 properties respectively), with a further 85 houses being delivered further to the west at a later date.

Only 15 per cent of the homes across both sides will be affordable (the equivalent of 28 properties) – the same percentage the company will be delivering at the Up Mudford urban extension at the north-eastern edge of the same time.

Both these sites fall below the council’s target of 35 per cent affordable housing for any new development of ten homes or more within the former South Somerset area, with the developer citing land viability issues in both instances.

In addition to the affordable housing, the developments will provide nearly £392,000 towards additional early years places in Yeovil and almost £104,000 for improving NHS services, which will be focused around expanding existing doctors’ surgeries near the site.

The developments will also provide nearly £247,000 for local play equipment (including children’s play areas), just over £144,000 for new changing rooms, more than £117,000 for new playing pitches, and more than £42,000 for local youth facilities.

Councillor Andy Kendall (Yeovil Central) raised concerns about the traffic levels in that part of the town when the council’s planning committee south met less than a mile from the site on Tuesday afternoon (April 22).

He said: “When the Yeovil western corridor was done years ago, it had an assessment by our highways team, and it works perfectly well.

“The slip road at the Westlands roundabout moves the traffic out of this town quite reasonably. Can we have assurance that this is going to work – that it won’t cause any issues?”

A spokesman for the council’s highways team (who did not give his name during the meeting) responded: “We have looked at the improvements on the western corridor, including the slip road out towards the A303.

“This development will link into the new pedestrian and cycling infrastructure coming on stream, along with the existing public rights of way.

“Evidence is coming forward that the covid crisis actually lowered the traffic figures on the entire road network, because of changes in working practices.”

Councillor Sue Osborne (Ilminster) questioned whether central government grants could be sought to deliver more low-cost housing within this site.

She said: “Is there any opportunity for any funding into this scheme from Homes England? That may give us an opportunity to increase the affordable housing at a late date.”

Planning officer Dawn de Vries replied: “There are various grants which become available from time to time, but they sit outside of any planning legal agreements. They will need to be part of a consideration for elected members.”

The site lies within the catchment area of the Somerset Levels and Moors, meaning that the developer has had to secure additional mitigation to prevent any net increase in phosphates within the protected Ramsar site.

To offset the new homes, the developer is required to either purchase the recommended number of phosphate credits (which are generated by fallowing agricultural land elsewhere in the catchment) or design an alternative scheme before construction can begin (such as the creation of wetlands or a new waste water treatment plant).

Councillor Peter Seib (whose Brympton division borders the site) said: “I am pleased that the developer has addressed concerns about planting on the western edge.

“I also appreciate the efforts that have been made to ensure connectivity with the wider area. I have to say, on balance, I’m minded to support this.”

The committee voted to approve both sets of plans by 12 votes to zero, with one abstention.

The Abbey Manor Group is currently consulting on plans for a new David Lloyd leisure centre on ‘Plot E’ within the Bunford Park site, the nearest plot to the new homes.

If approved, the leisure centre will include outdoor tennis courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa, a children’s soft play area and a gym, along with other facilities.

The council is expected to make a decision on these proposals later in the year.