Plans for care home at former wedding venue refused

Woodlands Castle was a popular wedding venue but closed in the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic

Plans to build 18 homes and a 70-bed care home at a former wedding and conference venue have been rejected.

The proposal, submitted by Belstone Fox, aimed to convert the Grade II-listed Woodlands Castle in Ruishton, Somerset, into a private home with an additional 18 properties and care home its grounds.

However, Somerset Council rejected the plans, saying the development would harm the character of the listed building and the village.

Woodlands Castle, which dates back to the 17th Century, closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.

The site has since suffered vandalism and was used as a cannabis farm in 2021, with the developer warning that temporary repairs to the building "will begin to fail in the near future."

Council planning officers argued the proposed development would harm the significance of the listed building and conflict with local planning policies such as the Taunton Deane Core Strategy and the Ruishton and Thornfalcon Neighbourhood Plan.

The design and scale of the proposed care home was seen as incompatible with the area's character.

The council also expressed concerns that the development would extend Ruishton further toward the Taunton Gateway area, contributing to the merging of the village with nearby urban areas.

The care home was to be positioned near the site's entrance from Ruishton Lane.

Belstone Fox, however, maintained that the project would help restore and "preserve Woodlands Castle for future generations" while addressing local housing and care needs.

A spokesperson from Harris Irwin Architects, representing the developer, said: "The creation of 70 high-quality care and dementia bedrooms will count towards the local authority's targets. 

"Residents who take up these bedrooms are likely to leave much larger homes within the local area, freeing up multi-bedroom apartments and houses for local families."

The refusal comes after Somerset Council lost an appeal by Taylor Wimpey to build 150 homes on the Brookfield Nursery site on the other side of Ruishton Lane.

It remains unclear whether Belstone Fox intends to appeal the council's decision.