Low-cost homes on ex-school site given go-ahead

LOW-COST homes will be built on a former local primary school site following the unanimous backing of local council lors.

- DANIEL MUMBY Local democracy journalist

King Ina Church of England Academy was originally split over two sites in Somerton - the infants’ site on Etsome Terrace, and the juniors’ site on Kirkham Street.

Both sites closed down when the academy moved to its new site on Northfield (which was approved by Somerset County Council in July 2019), with plans being put forward to convert the Kirkham Street site into two residential properties.

The Stonewater housing association submitted plans in August 2024 to redevelop the Etsome Terrace site into 16 affordable homes, with the existing school buildings being demolished.

Somerset Council's planning committee south (which handles major applications within the former South Somerset area) has now given these plans its backing and construction work could get under way before Christmas if the relevant legal agreements are signed off swiftly.

The site lies within a heavily residential part of Somerton, next to the council's school transport depot and within walking distance of the town's fire station and the One Stop convenience store on Dairy Court.

Under the proposals, the existing buildings will be knocked down and replaced with 16 low-cost homes, which will be offered at social rent (provided that grant funding can be secured from Homes England).

The homes will be arranged in five blocks, comprising four one-bedroom flats, six two-bedroom houses and six three-bedroom houses.