Watchet former paper mill acquired by housing developer

Wansborough Paper Mill closed in December 2015 with the loss of 176 jobs

The redevelopment of a former Somerset paper mill has moved one step closer after the land was sold to a local housing developer.

The Wansborough site in Watchet, has been vacant since 2015 when the business closed down.

Stratton Land Ltd secured planning permission to temporarily use the site to store soil from another housing development in Minehead.

The same developer has purchased the paper mill site.

There will be amended plans for the site expected to come forward within the next few months.

Under the plans, recently approved by Somerset Council, topsoil from the Minehead site will be stored in four parts of the paper mill site, allowing the area to be levelled out ahead of any future redevelopment.

A spokesman for the developer said in August said: "The [Watchet] site will be developed by Stratton Land Ltd to construct at least 280 residential dwellings with private gardens, associated roads, foot-ways, parking, drainage, landscaping, public open space, and associated infrastructure.

"However, parts of the site fall under flood zones 1 and 2, and consequently ground levels require raising. The scope of works for this application is to stockpile sub-soil in readiness to raise the levels as necessary.

A new letter from Watchet Paper Mill Development Company has now been published on the council's planning portal, confirming the sale of the site to the developer.

Simon Fox, the council's major projects officer, said: "The scheme, if approved, will require the importation of material such as topsoil to create landscaping areas and rear gardens.

"This is because most of the flat area of the site which is developable is currently largely laid to hard-standing with the quality of ground underneath unknown, but likely to need supplementing with new material.

"The quantum of material being proposed to be brought to site is envisaged to be easily incorporated into any approved scheme."

The soil from the Minehead site is expected to be transport to the paper mill site by the end of October.