A NEW 200-home development on the edge of Wellington has been recommended for approval.

Somerset Councillors have been advised to approve a new housing estate to be built north of Taunton Road, behind the Lidl supermarket.

Issuing the guidance, planning officer Simon Fox said the plan was “intrinsically linked” to the delivery of the town’s new railway station and that approving the scheme would benefit the town, despite its deviations from the council’s ‘local plan.’

He said: “Although the proposal is a departure from the Local Plan it is considered that the principle of the development is acceptable because the allocation policy intentions, insofar as the factory relocations, cannot be achieved and the site is otherwise within the settlement limits as defined by Policies SP1 and SB1 of the Site Allocations and Development Management Plan and so considered a suitable location for development.

“The benefits of the scheme, in delivering infrastructure to facilitate the future delivery of a railway station for Wellington is considered a material consideration to which great weight is applied.”

Mr Fox previously told Wellington town councillors the development ‘must go ahead’ to make the town’s train station viable, because it would create the necessary road access. Town councillors joined Mr Fox in recommending the scheme for approval in early April.

Access to the housing development would be off Taunton Road down Nynehead Road and it is understood neighbouring Nynehead Parish Council is concerned about traffic.

The plan will go before Somerset Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, May 1, to be decided.