Fresh proposals have been submitted to transform the former Yeo Valley campus on the fringes of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. The site, located off the A371 Axbridge Road in Cheddar, is set for a major redevelopment that includes new homes, a nursery, commercial space, and a care home.
Background of the Development
Yeo Valley Farm and Holt Farms initially lodged an application in August 2018 seeking outline permission to build up to 100 new homes, a 60-bed care home, 12 extra care units, business premises, and a nursery. Sedgemoor District Council's development committee voted in favour in November 2020, but legal agreements were not finalised until late May 2023. Homes England later purchased the site and presented revised proposals, which received approval in November 2024 from Somerset Council.
Latest Revisions
Woodstock Homes (Construction), collaborating with Homes England, has lodged additional revisions for the residential component, while LNT Care Developments has submitted new proposals for the care home. The council is expected to deliver a decision on both sets of proposals before Christmas.
Under the updated plans, 56 homes will be built across the site, including three designated as 'live/work units' that incorporate office space for remote working or small businesses. The development will offer a range of property types from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses. Due to limited viability of the brownfield site, only eight properties will be classed as affordable housing.
Site Layout and Features
The residential units will be concentrated at the southern end of the site, with 161 parking spaces provided, including 11 dedicated visitor spaces. The northern portion will be largely given over to green landscaping and tree planting, creating an enhanced buffer zone for the neighbouring campsite and the protected Mendip Hills landscape.
A new 250 sq m nursery will be positioned close to the site entrance, alongside a 600 sq m commercial building suitable for offices or light industrial units. An active travel route will be established at the south-eastern corner, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to reach Cheddar via the A371 or head west to join the Strawberry Line at the Axbridge entrance.
Care Home Proposals
The new care home, delivered by LNT Care Developments in conjunction with 376 Estates (Cheddar) and Homes England, will be built at the south-western corner of the site. It will feature 66 bedrooms across three floors and generate up to 60 jobs for local residents. LNT recently completed Gillingham Grange in Chard and Sherford Manor in Taunton.
A spokesperson for LNT said: "The site lies within a sustainable location in close proximity to facilities, the local population and existing public transport services. There is an identified need for development of specialist accommodation, including residential care homes."
Community and Economic Impact
A spokesperson for LDA Design, representing the applicants, said: "The site will make a significant, and much-needed, contribution to Somerset's housing land supply, as well as providing employment opportunities. We look forward to working collaboratively with Somerset Council to secure consent and progress toward delivery."
Somerset Council is expected to reach a verdict on both sets of proposals within the next six months. Given the scope and importance of the plans, both decisions are expected to be made publicly by the planning committee north, rather than through delegated authority. LNT Care Developments has suggested that building work on the care home could start within 16 months of planning permission being granted.
