New plans submitted for 120 homes on Greencore factory site in Evercreech

The Greencore factory on the B3081 Prestleigh Road in Evercreech, near Shepton Mallet, closed in October 2018 at a cost of around 400 local jobs.

Bristol-based firm West Estates Development Ltd. originally put forward plans in September 2020 to build up to 129 homes on the site – before subsequently downgrading the number to 120 to ensure the former Kemps Mill within the site could be retained for either employment or communal purposes.

Mendip District Council refused the plans in November 2021, arguing the loss of employment land would result in an “unsustainable development” that would not meet local needs.

The developer has now put forward fresh proposals for the site – proposals which the local ward member says “address none of the flaws”.

The site is identified within the council’s Local Plan for employment use, with alternative uses (e.g. housing) “will only be considered acceptable once its re-use for employment has been fully explored to the satisfaction of the council.”

Julie Reader-Sullivan, the council’s head of service for planning and growth, identified seven reasons for refusing the original plans in November 2021:

• The development would lead to a loss of employment land for the village, meaning it cannot “help ensure the vitality and sustainability of the village and wider district”
• The layout and design of the housing scheme does not reflect the character of the village, failing to “appreciate the built and natural context of the locality and to contribute positively to the maintenance and enhancement of local identity and the distinctiveness of the area”
• The “poor design” of the proposed houses, and planned demolition of heritage assets, would result in “harm to the settings of nearby grade two listed buildings” and the village’s conservation area
• The developer provided “insufficient information” about how surface water will drain away from the site
• The plans have “failed to demonstrate” how it would mitigate phosphate pollution following the Dutch N court ruling regarding the Somerset Levels and Moors RAMSAR site
• The proposed access onto Prestleigh Road would “result in potential vehicle conflict and would not provide a safe and suitable access”, especially for emergency vehicles
• The development “fails to provide sufficient infrastructure” for the village, particularly contributions towards affordable housing and school places

Within the new plans, 36 of the 120 homes will be affordable, in line with the council’s target of 30 per cent affordable housing on any new development of ten or more homes.

A total of 371.5 sq m  will be set aside for employment use, with Kemps Mill serving as a commercial hub along with a community centre.

A spokesman for POD Design Ltd. (representing the applicant): “This is a development which includes an apartment and commercial hub, creating amenity and employment opportunities to the residents of Evercreech.

“The hub helps to create a community centre surrounded by large areas of green open space. This is a development which includes a generous green open space to the front of the scheme, positively contributing to the natural context of the locality.

“The scheme has the potential to greatly improve pedestrian connectivity to the southern boundary through the provision of a new formal footpath parallel to Queen’s Road.

“We believe the proposed application will become a positive addition to the area.”

Councillor Barry O’Leary, whose Creech ward includes the site, said he was “disappointed” that the developers had “listened neither to our community or the planners” with the new proposals.

Posting on his official Twitter feed, he said: “Others have been happy to let 120 houses (and 300 cars) be added here, to have our heritage assets swept away, for the development to be ‘housing-lead’. We can see the handiwork of 20 years of this ill-judged approach all over Mendip – communities without facilities.

“We all agree that the site needs to be developed, but I’ve always been clear our village needs facilities (a larger shop anyone?), employment facilities and high-quality eco-efficient housing with live/work capacity built in.

“This is an opportunity to imaginatively sort parking and traffic problems of this village. I’m disappointed the site owner ignores what everyone else can agree on.

“Thanks to this community’s actions, we have saved Kemps Mill – a rethink on the balance of the site could yield positive results, I urge them to withdraw this unwanted, flawed plan and return with something better.”

The council is expected to make a ruling on the new plans during the summer.