Major housing development fought off by villagers

Planning rejected by villagers

Recent news from the government states that the planning application process will be simplified, sped up and also more on the side of the applicant. So the recent news that a housing project was rejected due to the village community power will be surprising to many, though of course let us see the facts so we can make our decision to see if it was a fair campaign to oust it.

A 60 home development, revised already down from 80, added to the many other projects for planning that the of Templecombe has recently seen:

The village has seen a number of large developments approved in the last two years – including 70 homes on Slades Hill (near the Thales base) and 49 homes on West Street, which was approved in June after being previously turned down twice.” Full story first released on somersetlive.co.uk

From reading the story it felt that the local community felt it was time to refuse the increasing amount of local new build estates in favour of protecting their rural character and that the proposal of Gleeson Strategic Land Ltd’s application to build 80 homes on the Manor Farm estate was one application too far.

Planning officer David Kenyon was quoted as saying: “… there are other parts of the site, particularly on the eastern and southern outer slopes, where residential development is indicated on the master plan and which we consider would cause an unacceptable level of harm to the rural character of that part of the site and the wider landscape.

Development in these areas would also cause an unacceptable level of harm to the visual amenity of those adjacent to the site as well as those in the wider landscape.

 

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Rent and run? Agents warn of new ‘Stopover Tenant’ epidemic

Nearly 1 in 3 letting agents report tenants walking away from 6–12 month tenancies – some after just a few months Experts warn rental reforms are fueling relocation-style, short-term renting Almost half of agents now advising landlords on how to manage early exits A new trend is sweeping the rental market and it’s leaving landlords…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 11/09/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   A ‘workplace companion that’s not just about managing buildings’ Smart Spaces has launched Space Agent, its new agentic AI-driven workplace concierge designed to transform how people manage and engage with buildings and their workplaces. Space Agent – introduced through its friendly persona, Max – is fully…
Read More
Breaking News

Where can you still buy a home for under £150k?

Zoopla reveals Great Britain’s property bargain hotspots Just 12 per cent of all homes for sale across Great Britain are priced under £150,000 making location key for home buyers looking for a bargain In the North East, a remarkable 41 per cent of all homes for sale fall within this price range, followed by Scotland…
Read More
Breaking News

Landlord repossessions soar as Renters’ Rights Bill looms

Landlord repossessions soar as Renters’ Rights Bill looms, with some areas seeing increase of over 2,500% The latest analysis from Dwelly, one of the UK’s leading lettings acquisition and success planning experts, shows that landlord repossessions have increased by 6.8% across England and Wales. However, in some areas of the country they have soared by…
Read More
Breaking News

These are Britain’s most active housing markets

New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that the busiest homebuying postcodes in Britain right now are found in Croydon, Buckinghamshire and Waltham Forest, however, for those hopeful homebuyers facing tough competition, shifting to a neighbouring postcode could see them secure a property. The Property DriveBuy analysed latest housing market data to discover which of…
Read More
Breaking News

Downsizers can bag 2 for 1 on property purchases

The latest research from over-50s property specialists, Regency Living, reveals that downsizing retirees could own two homes for the price of one, combining a comfortable home in England with a sunny escape in Europe. According to Regency Living’s latest analysis, retirees who sell a traditional bricks and mortar house and purchase a park home can…
Read More