Introduction
The council is working on an emerging vision and set of priorities for the area. These priorities reflect and seek to address the issues identified above which have been informed by engagement with community representative groups, including parish and town councils. The priorities outlined below are primarily focussed on those that can be addressed through the Local Plan. The council’s emerging vision is likely to encompass priorities that are outside the remit of the Local Plan.
The following list sets out the key priorities for the Somer Valley. Many of the priorities can be addressed by new development, and site or policy approach options have been selected in response to the key issues. However, there are some priorities that won’t be addressed through new development but will be addressed through other policies in the Local Plan, or by strategies or initiatives undertaken by the council, WECA or by other stakeholders.
- Affordable Housing - A significant number of new homes are set to be built in both the Somer Valley and across the wider district, addressing the growing need for affordable housing.
- Employment - Additional employment spaces will be allocated in the Local Plan, to meet the increasing demand for jobs while also helping reduce the need for residents to commute elsewhere for work. This will contribute to balancing the distribution of jobs and homes, ensuring that people can live and work within the same community.
- Transport - Enhancing bus services and developing efficient mass transit options is key to improving overall access to public transport in the region. Better active travel links, such as walking and cycling routes, will encourage more people to live locally.
- Town Centre and Local High Streets - Supporting the regeneration of Radstock and Midsomer Norton High Streets is a vital step in revitalising these local areas. New housing development can increase footfall and overall activity within the town centres
- Green Spaces - The surrounding landscape is a defining feature of the Somer Valley’s unique character and identity. New development should seek to enhance and reflect this natural identity. By creating strong connections to existing green spaces, future growth can integrate more harmoniously with the local environment.
The Somer Valley is identified as a growth zone in WECA’s emerging growth strategy. It is important to improve local employment opportunities, including through the delivery of the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone.
A key issue within the Somer Valley is the lack of employment space which has led to a high level of out-commuting. The provision of additional employment space is key to the ongoing development of the Somer Valley.
Current evidence suggests around 7.8ha of additional economic land is required in the Somer Valley comprising of;
- Office: 7,000 sq. metres
- Industrial: 14,000-17,000 sq. metres
- Warehouse:15,000-16,000 sq. metres
Work is currently underway on the Midsomer Norton town centre masterplan which looks to increase the employment levels within the town centre, such as through the provision of light industrial premises. The current town centre policies in the adopted Local Plan can help to facilitate this in the short term.
The proposed site options for additional housing outlined in this section have the potential to generate a significant level of capacity or need for additional retail floorspace and in particular for convenience goods (primarily food) equivalent to one large supermarket or two medium sized food stores. In preparing the Draft Local Plan and determining the housing site options to be progressed we will also consider and identify the most appropriate form and location of additional retail provision.
Some of the key issues in the Somer Valley relate to transport and highways. A number of transport opportunities and potential interventions have been identified for the Somer Valley. These interventions will need more detailed consideration whilst preparing the Draft Local Plan, including mechanisms for funding them.
The area can be improved in terms of active travel. Currently there is a high level of out commuting and limited active travel links. Dedicated cycle links can be improved and a network of quiet lanes identified. The extension of e-bike and scooter rental could be provided within the Somer Valley. The introduction of car clubs in the area could also offer an alternative to private car ownership. Mobility hubs should be strategically located to support an improved public transport offer. Development should be located in areas with access to shops and services.
Green infrastructure (GI) is a network of multi-functional green and blue spaces and other natural features, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, economic, health and wellbeing benefits for nature, climate, and communities. To enhance and extend the network, GI should be central to the design of new developments, and development proposals should demonstrate strong links to the wider green infrastructure network.
Some of the site options set out in this chapter include reference to ‘Strategic Green Infrastructure Opportunities’, which are located outside of the area shown for potential development. Identifying where these are is work in progress, but the aim is to indicate where the council consider that GI could be provided or improved to meet B&NES GI standards, and where they also offer nature based solutions to address issues such as flooding and nature recovery. New and enhanced green infrastructure will either be funded by development in the area, or through other mechanisms to be explored as we prepare the Draft Local Plan.
The West of England Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Toolkit (LNRS) was published in November 2024. The LNRS identifies the following areas:
- Areas that are already of importance to biodiversity. These are sites that are nationally are designated for their value to nature, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs),.It also includes sites that are designated as Local Nature Reserves; ,sites that are locally designated as ‘Sites of Nature Conservation Interest’ (SNCIs), and/or are irreplaceable habitat, including ancient woodland.
- Focus Areas for Nature Recovery. This is where action to recover nature will have the biggest impact and is most feasible. These have been mapped to reflect the priorities for nature recovery, and include all of the mapped measures for nature recovery. The focus areas for nature recovery are referred to as ‘areas that could become of particular importance’ in regulation.
The diagram below shows where these areas are located in the Somer Valley and the relationship between these areas and the Site Options under consideration in this Options consultation. Constraints and opportunities are referenced for each Site Option where appropriate.
The strategy for the Somer Valley focusses on boosting the economic role of the area and providing additional housing to help address local needs (including for affordable housing), with this development unlocked by substantial investment in improving sustainable transport connectivity to and from and within the Somer Valley. Economic growth will reflect and build on the area’s strengths and also shift towards green/renewable energy and creative sectors. The strategy for employment space focusses on the Peasedown area (linking to economic needs associated with Bath), as well as Midsomer Norton and Westfield serving the needs of the more local economy and businesses. Economic growth and additional housing needs to respect and help deliver key GI improvements recognising the opportunity to deliver additional GI through the Somer Valley Rediscovered project.
The map below indicates all potential sites for development within the Somer Valley. This includes strategic options at Peasedown St John, Radstock, Midsomer Norton and Farrington Gurney. These strategic sites will need new infrastructure such as schools and local centres in order to be developed. To unlock large scale growth in the Somer Valley investment in public transport infrastructure is required.
The proposal also includes a number of small site options which would be largely housing sites that do not require additional site specific infrastructure to be developed.
The SVEZ has been allocated in previous Local Plans and is covered by a Local Development Order. The options document proposes additional economic floorspace at Peasedown and Westfield to help meet additional requirements for further economic floorspace.
Currently only Westfield has an adopted Neighbourhood Plan. However, neighbourhood plans are currently being prepared in Radstock and Farrington Gurney.