SHOCK new plans for a massive housing development in Wellington and Rockwell Green have been unveiled.

The plans are being drawn up by Persimmon Homes, which is one of Britain’s largest housebuilders.

It wants to develop land along Popes Lane in what is known as the green wedge between Wellington and Rockwell Green.

It is the third large-scale housing plan for land outside Wellington’s development boundaries in the past five months after Gladman developments Ltd put forward proposals for 315 new homes and a mini shopping centre to the north of Exeter Road. Carden Group said it wanted to build 293 new homes in fields opposite the new Lidl supermarket.

A satellite-eye view of Popes Lane, Rockwell Green Persimmon Homes build housing
A satellite-eye view of Popes Lane, Rockwell Green. PHOTO: Google Maps. ( )

Persimmon has said it is preparing a ‘hybrid’ planning application for Popes Lane, which is where full permission is sought to go ahead with building on part of a site while only outline consent is sought for the remainder.

The spokesperson said the development would be in line with the principles outlined in the Wellington Place Plan which was drawn up by the former Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) before it was replaced by the new unitary Somerset Council.

Greenslade Taylor Hunt planning partner Mark Richards, who is warning almost any land can now be developed.
Greenslade Taylor Hunt planning partner Mark Richards, who is warning almost any land can now be developed. PHOTO: GTH. ( )

Persimmon said the company was proposing to create a wetland within the Wellington green corridor to provide phosphate mitigation which would allow the development to happen.

Plans also included a high-quality area of public open space and ‘will further strengthen the buffer between Wellington and Rockwell Green’.

Persimmon Homes South West sales director Stacey Harris, referencing a recent £2,000 grant by company to the Wellington Warm Place initiative, said Persimmon believed it was important to show it was committed to ‘leaving a positive and lasting legacy beyond high-quality development’.

Wellington town councillors have not been approached by Persimmon about its new plans, but councillors previously strongly opposed a proposed 29-home development in Popes Lane in 2017.

The Wainhomes plan was eventually refused by SWT because Popes Lane was ‘outside the defined settlement limit of Wellington and Rockwell Green’ and would result ‘in an unplanned extension of the town’.

A wider view of the location of Popes Lane, in Rockwell Green and Wellington.
A wider view of the location of Popes Lane, in Rockwell Green and Wellington. PHOTO: Google Maps. ( )

Persimmon’s announcement comes as property and auction specialist Greenslade Taylor Hunt (GTH) highlighted that almost any site locally could now be built on following a planning appeal in which Somerset Council was shown not to have a five-year housing land supply (5 YHLS) in the former Taunton Deane area.

GTH planning partner Mark Richards said: “Over the last few years the requirement for new housing development to demonstrate ‘nutrient neutrality’ in Somerset has severely constrained the council’s ability to grant permission for new homes.

“While solutions now exist and permissions are being granted, there can be no doubting the significant impact this issue has had on the supply of deliverable housing sites in the area.

“This announcement really highlights the extent of the issue and emphasises the importance of bringing forward suitable housing sites to meet the needs of our communities.”

Mr Richards said GTH was offering advice for anybody who had any land available for development within or adjoining a town or village which had good links to local facilities.