On behalf of ‘Your Land Partner’ ET Planning have helped secure planning permission for 40 dwellings in South Somerset
The Challenge
ET Planning was instructed by Your Land Partners to lead a planning application for 40 new homes on land west of Silver Street, South Petherton. The site, within the South Petherton Neighbourhood Plan area, presented a number of strategic challenges that had delayed or derailed other local schemes. Critically, residential development in South Somerset has been heavily constrained by phosphate neutrality issues, which have stalled housing delivery across the district. In parallel, the Council was unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, increasing the pressure to bring forward sustainable, policy-compliant development. Key risks included: Nutrient neutrality restrictions causing long-term delays to approvals. Community sensitivity to development scale and location. The need to deliver a meaningful proportion of affordable housing. Policy conflicts within the neighbourhood and local plan.
Our Approach
ET Planning led the outline application process, advising on strategy, engagement, and risk management throughout. Site appraisal and positioning: We assessed the planning context and confirmed the site’s potential for policy-compliant development, supporting a balanced scheme of 26 market homes and 14 affordable units. Housing need evidence: We emphasised the Council’s lack of a five-year housing land supply as a critical material consideration supporting approval. Phosphate mitigation strategy: We worked proactively to address nutrient neutrality constraints, enabling the application to progress despite wider district-level restrictions. Access-led application: By submitting in outline for access only, we allowed future design details to be resolved through reserved matters—minimising delay while ensuring flexibility. Community context: The site was aligned with the South Petherton Neighbourhood Plan, helping manage local sensitivities and reduce objection risk. Permission has now been secured, unlocking a key site for 40 new homes in a constrained district—of which 14 will be affordable. This scheme demonstrates how early judgement and strategic planning can overcome systemic planning barriers. Please contact David Wetherill (Associate Director) David.Wetherill@etplanning.co.uk or Robyn Milliner (Principal Planner) Robyn.Milliner@etplanning.co.uk for more advice on delivery of housing development on sites in the South West and/or falling within Neighbourhood Plan areas.
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