Friday 16th January

Friday, 16 January 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The go-ahead has been given to build 200 new homes at Ilchester. Taunton Town Council is increasing its share of the Council Tax by 3 per cent a year. Somerset is featured in a new Agatha Christie drama being shown on Netflix from this week...and more

The go-ahead has been given to build 200 new homes at Ilchester. The properties will be built on land to the north of the existing Hainbury Meadows housing scheme. It follows the signing of a 106 agreement in which the landowner will provide £424,000 for early years provision in the village and £640,000 to expand the primary school. An additional £426,000 will be allocated to improve youth facilities, including two new on-site play areas.

Taunton Town Council is increasing its share of the Council Tax by 3 per cent each year. It says the increase will add an average of £10 to the council tax bill of a Band D property.

A survey has been launched to build a picture of people’s eating habits in Somerset. Run by the Public Health Team at Somerset Council, it surveys people’s food choices, with the results used to plan healthy living projects.

The UK's first Town of Culture competition has opened for entries. It’s similar to the UK’s City of Culture scheme, which Bradford won last year. The winning town will receive £ 1 million to deliver a year of cultural events in 2028.

The Friends of Chard Reservoir are looking for new members. The group serves as a hub for community engagement, focusing on enhancing health and well-being within the reservoir and nature reserve. Details on joining are available on the Friends of Chard Reservoir Facebook page.

Somerset is featured in a new Agatha Christie drama, available on Netflix from this week. The Seven Dials Mystery was filmed at several locations across Somerset, with major scenes set on the West Somerset Railway.

A new children’s soft play area is soon to open in Merriot. The owners of Play Haven Soft Play on Tail Mill Lane say it’s designed for children aged 11 and under.

More from News

Monday 15th June

People in Somerset are being asked to take part in a new survey about alcohol use. Yeovil's MP Adam Dance will lead a debate in Parliament today on NHS dentistry. A Yeovil runner has been selected to represent England at a national endurance championship... and more
Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more