Evercreech homes plan scrapped by developer

Plans for more than 50 new homes that critics said would have created "urban sprawl" in a village have been scrapped by a developer.

M7 Planning Ltd had submitted plans in January for the development on Prestleigh Road, Evercreech, near Shepton Mallet.

Residents had also argued the local roads were "not fit for purpose" to cope with the development.

A formal reason for the withdrawal has not been made public.

The withdrawal comes as a public inquiry into 120 homes on the site of the Greencore factory in the village has been pushed back to early November.

The M7 development, for 56 homes, would have been built on a site to the north of the factory, which was hit by a fire on 4 January.

The new homes would have been built at the southern end of the site, close to existing properties on Maesdown Road.

Lynn Crisp, from Evercreech Parish Council, had also objected to the plans.

"This development by reason of size would result in a disproportionate amount of growth for the village and have a harmful impact on the countryside's intrinsic character," said Ms Crisp.

Countryside charity CPRE Somerset also objected to the plans, with trustee Fletcher Robinson stating: "In our view there would be significant and demonstrable harm to the character and appearance of the village by permitting unjustified urban spread into the surrounding countryside."

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