Watchet could see 230 homes on old Parsonage Farm site

The plans would see the new homes built on the old music festival site

Farmland used to host a popular Somerset music festival could soon be replaced with 230 new homes if plans are approved.

The Watchet Music Festival was held at Parsonage Farm off Brendon Road annually for 25 years, with the last event happening in 2022.

It was announced in June that the festival would no longer take place due to the tenant farmer ending his lease.

The Wyndham Estate, which owns it, has now published plans for the new homes.

If planning permission is granted, it will see the creation of a new access road off Brendon Road and the conversion of the existing Parsonage Farm buildings.

There will be commercial space for local businesses, including 11 light industrial units along with new allotments and orchards in the southern portion of the site.

The Watchet Festival ran for 25 years

Watchet Live CIC confirmed the festival would no longer be held in a statement published on its official website earlier this year in June.

A spokesman said: "Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unfortunately not able to renew our lease on the land that we use at Parsonage Farm.

"The tenant farmer is retiring and vacating the farm, and the proposed future housing development will be on most of the fields and the farm that is used to stage the festival.

"Because of this, we feel after much soul searching and debate that it has become apparent that this is the right time to allow Watchet Festival to come to a natural end."

The site in Watchet would also include business sites and green spaces as part of the development

The new properties will range from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses, with 81 houses being affordable.

A spokesman for LHC Design (representing the applicant) said: "The layout shows how buildings could be located on the site to maximise the green space and benefits of open space, without compromising on a sustainable layout and development form.

"A new access is provided from Brendon Road, with the existing hedgerow being retained as far as possible whilst allowing for the required visibility for highway safety."

Watchet is expected to see significant housing growth in the coming years with 250 homes on the Liddymore Park site and a further 280 homes could end up being delivered on the former Wansborough paper mill site.

Local residents have already lodged objections to the Parsonage Farm proposals, arguing it will lead to increased traffic and put pressure on the town's already strained amenities.

'Too many homes'

Bernie Scott-Field, who lives on Churchill Way with her husband Len, said: "We are both social workers and totally understand the need for decent affordable housing.

"But Parsonage farm is a greenfield site - why would building on green fields still be supported by the council when there are clearly brownfield sites available that need development?

"We struggled to find an NHS dentist when we moved here a year ago as there's too many new homes and we know schools are at maximum intake and the NHS is on its knees."

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the Parsonage Farm plans in the spring.