A NEW car park for a cricket club, ten new flats in Yeovil town centre and a dog grooming business are among the schemes people are trying to get planning permission for in Somerset.

Every week, hundreds of planning applications are submitted to Somerset Council for determination – and we have selected some of the most interesting proposals.

Most plans will be decided by council planning officers, using their legally delegated powers, but some of the most significant or contentious will go before one of the council’s five planning committees.

Planning committees are made up of elected councillors, but the decisions they make should be decided based on the council’s planning policies, not local politics.

To comment on any of these applications (and others), visit www.somerset.gov.uk/planning-buildings-and-land/view-and-comment-on-a-planning-application.

Mount Street, Taunton

Taunton Deane Borough Council operated a plant nursery on Mount Street in Taunton until 2006, when the operation relocated to new premises on Stoke Road at a cost of £450,000.

The property and surrounding land has remained vacant ever since, with reports of badger setts in the grounds and reports of rough sleeping in the local area.

Somerset West and Taunton Council announced in September 2022 that it wished to re-purpose part of the site to provide additional parking for Taunton Deane Cricket Club, which plays at the nearby Convent Field.

The cricket club has now submitted plans for the facility, which is intended to reduce congesting and on-street parking issues near Vivary Park and along Mount Street on match days.

The proposed private car park will comprise 56 standard spaces, two disabled parking spaces and two larger spaces for mini-buses.

To enable access, a new bridge will be built over the Sherford Stream to connect the site to Mount Street, with flood prevention measures being put in place during the construction.

Planning reference number: 38/24/0068

66 Middle Street, Yeovil

Numerous attempts have been made over the years to redevelop the upper floors of this prominent unit in Yeovil town centre – which lies directly opposite the site of a giant LED screen which will be installed as part of the council’s Yeovil Refresh regeneration programme.

A decision is still pending on Tim Carr’s application to turn the building into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO), which could provide 17 homes with shared communal spaces.

These latest plans, also put forward by Mr Carr, envision ten flats spread evenly over the first and second floors.

Planning reference number: 24/00511/P3MA

Rhode Lane, Bridgwater

Grenville House on Rhode Lane once provided a range of services for the Hamp area of Bridgwater, with part of the property currently being used to house the South Bridgwater Pantry.

Samantha Neems of Groom Central Dog Grooming intends to expand her business into one of the business units which was  home to Robins Fish and Chips until it closed in August 2022.

By being able to expand her business from its current base, just up the road on Sunnymead, Ms Neems estimates she could create two new full-time jobs.

Planning reference number: 08/24/00013)

Bush Lane, Spaxton

This property lies south of Bush Lane in the parish of Spaxton, on the eastern edge of the Quantock Hills national landscape (formerly area of outstanding natural beauty, or AONB).

Mr A. Jeanes – whose family has farmed in the Nether Stowey area for many years – has applied to convert the existing agricultural buildings into two holiday lets.

The family intends to charge tourists £500 per week out of season and £1,000 per week at peak season to stay in one of the new homes.

Planning reference number: 45/24/00004

Monkton Heathfield Road, Monkton Heathfield

Persimmon Homes South West is currently delivering 150 new homes on the Hartnells Farm site within the Monkton Heathfield urban extension near Taunton.

As part of the original planning permission, the developer committed to providing a puffin crossing on Monkton Heathfield Road, just east of the junction with Greenway and Milton Hill.

The developer has now applied to deliver a more conventional zebra crossing without control boxes, arguing there is “insufficient space” available for the original proposals.

Planning reference number: 48/24/0010/VSC