Somer Valley Enterprise Zone revised plans are unveiled

BANES council plans to develop the area of Old Mills Lane near Midsomer Norton

Revised proposals to enable businesses to develop fields in Somerset without full planning permission have been put up for public consultation.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) has revised a "local development order" (LDO) for the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone.

It means firms won't need to go through the full planning process to build on the site, just outside Midsomer Norton.

Members of the public have until 10 October to comment on the proposals.

The enterprise zone is planned for a 13 hectare (32 acre) area of land just off the A362, stretching from Old Mills Lane to the edge of the woods around Old Mills Bath.

Design code

BANES council, which has issued revised plans following a statutory consultation earlier this year, hopes it will encourage economic growth in the area and reduce the number of people commuting to Bath and Bristol.

Along with more relaxing planning requirements, the zone would provide tax breaks and business rate discounts to companies.

Businesses interested in setting up there would need to abide by a design code set out in the order.

The original plans received hundreds of objections from locals and prompted fears that one row of cottages could end up "sandwiched" between industrial areas.

Key changes include increasing the depth of the planned planting around the edge of the zone, providing agricultural access through the site to fields to the north, and installing a fence between the development and the buildings of Royal Oak Farm.

'Good response'

There are also conditions to reduce construction noise and limit the hours of operation.

Paul Roper, cabinet member for economic and sustainable development at BANES, said: "The council received a good response from the public and other consultees during the statutory consultation for the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone Local Development Order.

"These were taken into account when the plans were revised and we have added a report that addresses many of the questions raised".

People can comment on the plans via the council's website.