Construction on 130 new homes in a small Somerset village can officially begin after an appeal was formally withdrawn.

The Planning Inspectorate granted outline permission to Gladman Developments back in November 2018 to build up to 130 homes on Woodhayes Way in Henstridge.

The site was subsequently sold to Barratt David Wilson Homes, who secured more delayed permission for the same number of homes in May 2022 on what has been christened the Townsend Landings site.

As part of the outline planning permission, numerous road safety improvements had to be agreed with the local authority and implemented before any of the new homes could be constructed and occupied.

Somerset Council twice turned down the developer’s proposals to improve different sections of the busy and narrow A357 – once in October 2023, and again in April 2024, with the latter refusal prompting the developer to lodge an appeal.

But this appeal has now been withdrawn after the council U-turned and approved the transport improvements – meaning that work on building the new homes can begin in earnest.

The A357 forms a north-south spine of the village, connecting it to Stalbridge and other communities in north Dorset as well as the crucial A30 running between Sherborne and Shaftesbury.

The road is extremely narrow in place, with limited pavements, and there are few alternative routes through the village for pedestrians and cyclists.

During the general election campaign, the Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates clashed over whether a new bypass could be delivered through the village.

The improvements put forward by the developer concern the section north of the Townsend Landings site, between the junction with Blackmoor Lane and the crossroads linking it with Furge Lane and Marsh Lane.

The developer originally committed to providing the following:

Dropped kerbs and tactile paving at five junctions heading off Woodhayes Way and one on Furge Lane

Road safety signs warning motorists of pedestrians at the junctions of the A357 with Church Street and Furge Lane

Traffic lights in a “signal-controlled priority arrangement” on the A357 at the crossroads with Furge Lane and Marsh Lane

While the developer has stated it can fulfil the first two of these obligations, it argued that traffic lights at the Marsh Lane crossroads could not be safely installed due to the layout of the junction.

Under the newly approved proposals, a 20mph speed limit will be implemented between the junction with Church Street and the junction with Marsh Lane, with traffic calming measures being implemented along this section near the village’s Post Office.

A signal-controlled priority system will be implemented at the narrowest point of the road, with bollards being installed to create a safer route for pedestrians.

Additional street lighting will also be installed on the pathway between Church Street and St Nicholas Close, with the pavement opposite the allotments on Furge Grove being extended north by around eight metres.

These most recent plans were unanimously refused by the council’s planning committee south when it met in Yeovil on April 22.

Councillor Sue Osborne (who represents Ilminster and the neighbouring villages) stated at the time: “I’ve not heard a single thing that convinces me that this scheme is workable, practical, feasible or enforceable.

“I would have expected more from the applicant in terms of persuading us that this is the best they can do.”

Barratt David Wilson Homes formally lodged an appeal in mid-May, with the council publishing its statement of case (i.e. its legal arguments on which it would defend the appeal) in late-July.

As part of this statement of case, the council invited the developer to submit a further application concerning the transport improvements.

The developer obliged, and these were approved by the council’s planning officers through their delegated powers on August 2.

In the absence of any legal challenge into this decision during the following six weeks, the appeal was formally withdrawn and the public inquiry originally scheduled for October 8 has been cancelled.

A spokesperson for David Wilson Homes Exeter said: “We’re pleased to announce the formal withdrawal of our appeal application for the Townsend Landings development in Henstridge.

“This decision followed confirmation that no judicial review challenge was made during the six-week statutory period regarding the highways scheme. This condition was officially discharged by Somerset Council on August 2.

“With the successful discharge of all pre-commencement conditions, we are now able to move forward with the Townsend Landings development.

“We remain committed to delivering high-quality homes that meet the needs of the Henstridge community, and we look forward to continuing our work on this development.”

A decision of a separate application for 52 homes on the opposite side of the A357 is expected to be determined by the council before the end of the year.