'Homes bid is at risk unless legal agreement made'

A DEVELOPMENT of 200 new homes near the A303 in Somerset could fall through unless legal agreements are quickly signed, the landowner has warned.

- DANIEL MUMBY

The Young family have farmed in the area around Ilchester for more than 100 years, based out of Hainbury Farm at the northern edge of the village.

The family teased plans for 200 new homes north of Hainbury Meadows in May 2023, along with commercial space, a community hub, car parking and a large nature reserve reaching all the way to the dual carriageway.

Somerset Council’s planning committee south gave its backing to the proposals in late-January, despite opposition from the parish council and local residents.

But Patrick Young has now warned that the new homes may not be delivered unless legal agreements with the council can be signed off within a matter of weeks.

Mr Young raised his concerns when the same committee convened in Yeovil on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 22 - a meeting which was fraught with technical difficulties from the outset.