Thursday 18th July

Thursday, 18 July 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Plans have been submitted to build 650 new houses in Wincanton. Farmers in Somerset have criticised Avon and Somerset Police for re-deploying four officers from the rural crime team. Glastonbury and Somerton MP, Sarah Dyke, has written to the new Transport Secretary asking for a meeting about restoring a rail link between Langport and Somerton...and more.

Plans have been submitted to build 650 new houses in Wincanton. Land alongside the A371 at West Hill has been earmarked for the scheme, which includes a new primary school, care home and commercial units. To prevent the appearance of urban sprawl, the site has been arranged into four 'quarters' separated by green corridors - Hook Valley to the west, Furze Hill to the north, West Hill to the northeast, and Brook to the southeast.

A planning inspector has rejected an application to build 120 new homes in Evercreech, near Shepton Mallet. West Estates Development Ltd lodged an appeal after twice being refused permission to build the homes on the former Greencore factory site on Prestleigh Road. In his report, the Inspector says the scheme failed to respect the distinctive character of Evercreech, and would put the local services under greater pressure.

Farmers in Somerset have criticised Avon and Somerset Police for re-deploying four officers from the rural crime team. Police say the move is temporary and the offers are needed to meet demand elsewhere in the force area. But farmers say due to theft, hare coursing and illegal raves, demand for police support in rural areas is higher than ever.

Glastonbury and Somerton MP, Sarah Dyke, has written to the new Transport Secretary asking for a meeting about restoring a rail link between Langport and Somerton. The two towns were originally served by trains on the Taunton to Castle Cary line but their stations were closed in the 1960s. Sarah Dyke says a rail link would be economically beneficial to the local area, and the new Labour government should give it careful consideration.

The Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard is holding a Summer Fayre on Saturday. The charity, which provides a home to more than 300 animals, has run into financial problems with the event vital to its future.

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