Plans for 150 homes near A303 in Ilminster scrapped

Plans to build 150 new homes and commercial premises near the A303 in Ilminster have been scrapped nearly six years after they were first proposed.

Dairygold Co-operative Society Ltd. first put forward plans in January 2019 to redevelop the former Horlicks factory site on the B3168 Station Road, at the western entrance to Ilminster.

A decision on the proposals was repeatedly delayed, first by the coronavirus pandemic and then the ongoing phosphates crisis, with developers needing to secure additional mitigation to prevent any net increase in phosphates on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

The Irish developer submitted revised proposals in November 2024, which provided additional mitigation (secured through phosphate credits) and enhanced a planned green buffer between the site and the Southfields enterprise park (which includes the town’s Costa Coffee and McDonald’s outlets).

But these plans have now been formally withdrawn by the developer, without any official explanation being provided on the council’s planning portal.

The site (which was not allocated within the recently-ratified Ilminster Neighbourhood Plan) lies either side of Station Road, which links Ilminster to the A303 and the A358 via the frequently congested Southfields roundabout.

Under the revised plans, all 150 of the planned homes would have been concentrated on the northern side of Station Road, while the commercial elements would have been delivered on the southern side.

Two new access points were due to be delivered on Station Road, which were expected to be staggered to prevent traffic incidents, rather than installing a signal-controlled crossroads so close to the A303.

Of the 150 homes planned for the northern parcel, up to 53 would have been affordable – meeting the council’s 35 per cent target for any new development of ten homes or more, subject to a viability assessment.

On the southern parcel of land, the development was expected to deliver more than 23,000 sq m of employment space with a range of buildings – including possibly a car dealership, light industrial units and a drive-thru unit.

Isle Abbotts Parish Council objected to the revised proposals, arguing that the development would increase localised flooding and overwhelm Ilminster’s already stretched amenities.

Parish clerk Kim Larsson said: “This development would be located in an area

that has recently suffered severe flooding, which has raised further alarm within our community.

“While we understands the need for new housing, we believe that this development could have detrimental effects on both the local infrastructure and the environment, and we respectfully ask that these concerns be considered.

“During heavy rainfall, the existing drainage systems are often overwhelmed, resulting in flooding and increased surface water run-off.

“This could put additional pressure on the already vulnerable areas within Ilminster, but moreover, the increased run-off from the proposed development will likely affect the outlying areas, including Isle Abbotts, where water could be diverted and accumulate, causing further damage and potential flooding risks to properties and infrastructure.”

The site is bordered to the west by the River Isle, with the neighbouring streets (including the residential park homes at Holway House Park and Home Farm Park) being badly affected by localised flooding in recent years.

Following especially bad floods in October 2021 (which also affected the neighbouring hamlet of Sea), the council published an official study into the events, known as a Section 19 report.

This report made a number of recommendations to reduce local flood risk – including encouraging local farmers not to grow maize to reduce surface run-off and implementing a natural flood management scheme on the river.

Dairygold Co-operative Society Ltd. has not provided any official statement for why the plans would no longer be taken forward – with Alison Blom-Cooper, the council’s chief planning officer, merely stating on its official website: “The application is now withdrawn.”