More than 100m of hedgerow may be removed for homes

More than 100m of hedgerow could be removed to provide access to a new housing estate.

Persimmon Homes South West secured outline planning permission in January 2024 to construct up to 360 homes on Canal Way in Ilminster, Somerset, on land adjacent to the Meadows Surgery.

The Exeter-based developer has now submitted detailed plans for the access arrangements, which involve removing 120m of hedges and changing the current layout of the surgery's car park.

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the plans by the autumn.

The development site lies between Canal Way and Herne Hill, which was designated as a local nature reserve by South Somerset District Council in July 2018, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Simon Coles, director of planning at Carney Sweeney, representing the developer, said approving the plans would prevent delays in building the new homes.

The site is one of more than 50 development sites within the former South Somerset area whose delivery has been delayed by the ongoing phosphates crisis, with developers having to secure additional mitigation to prevent any net increase in phosphates on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.