NEW travellers’ pitches have been approved a short distance from the planned site of 1,400 new homes in Somerset.

Adam Smith was refused permission in 2022 to deliver nine travellers’ pitches at Green Paddock on Cossington Lane in the village of Cossington, which lies between the M5 and the Polden Hills.

Mr Smith put forward plans in February for an amended scheme of seven new pitches, which was reduced to four following negotiations with planning officers.

Somerset Council’s planning committee north (which handles major applications in the former Sedgemoor area) voted to grant permission to this site when it met in Bridgwater on Tuesday afternoon (December 12).

The site lies less than a mile from an approved housing development of 175 homes on the B3141 Woolavington Hill and the ‘West Woolavington’ site, where Persimmon Homes Severn Valley has teased plans for 1,400 new homes, commercial space and a new primary school.

The pitches are solely accessible from Cossington Lane, but they are within walking distance of the Lock’s Way walking and cycling route, which provides an off-road route to the neighbouring village of Bawdrip under the busy A39.

The new pitches will be concentrated at the western edge of the site, with the eastern section (nearest to Lock’s Way) being left as a play area and wild-flower meadow.

Cossington Parish Council had recommended refusal of the plans, arguing they would “add to the existing domination of the village by traveller sites” and the new occupants would need to drive to access local schools and health services.

But Councillor Alan Bradford (who represents North Petherton and the neighbouring villages) dismissed these concerns, criticising how long it had taken to come to a decision on this application.

He said: “We’re damned if we do and we’re damned if we don’t. This issue has gone on long enough.”

To mitigate any increase in phosphates from the new pitches, a package treatment plant will be installed within the site to prevent harmful chemicals from contaminating the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment area.

Councillor Bob Filmer (whose Brent division includes the villages north of Highbridge) queried: “Do we have a date as to when this treatment plan has got to be installed and operational? We have had issues on sites like this with trigger points.

“The biodiversity enhancements will be in place before the first use of the site. Can we have a similar trigger for landscaping?”

After less than half an hour’s debate, the committee voted to approve the plans by 12 votes to zero, with one abstention.

A public consultation on Persimmon’s vision for the West Woolavington site is expected to be held early next year.