New plans to build hundreds of homes put forward

An artist's impression of plans for the new housing development and commercial space

Revised plans have been put forward to build 230 new homes on an old farm site in west Somerset.

The Wyndham Estate, which owns the land on Parsonage Farm off Brendon Road, Watchet, have amended plans from a previous application in 2023 for new homes and commercial space on the site.

Councillor Rosemary Woods has strongly objected to the plans, arguing the development is "not sustainable for the town". A spokesperson for LHC Design, representing the developer, said the site was "located in a sustainable location for accessing Watchet".

Somerset Council is expected to make a final decision in the spring of 2026.

'35% affordable'

Phase one of the new development will be the construction of a new access road off Brendon Road and the conversion of the existing Parsonage Farm buildings into commercial space.

Phase two will see the access road extended to the new homes, along with new allotments and orchards.

According to the new plans, homes will range from one-bedroom flats to four-bed houses with 35% being affordable.

Woods, who lives close to the site, has concerns over what she describes as the strain the development could put on resources, saying the "facilities in Watchet are under pressure including the local doctors".

However, Woods said plans to use some of the plot for generating jobs was a "good idea" but added it did "not cover the number of properties being proposed".

The proposed site is near land where Watchet Music Festival was held annually for 25 years, with the final event happening in the summer of 2022.