A delay has been announced to the plans to dual the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton. South Somerset District Council has given the go-ahead for thirty low-cost homes to be built in South Petherton. A five-year plan is being drawn up for the future of the arts scene in Somerset. The New Year has got off to a good start for Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil with the company winning a multi-million-pound order with Canada to upgrade search and rescue helicopters...and more.
A delay has been announced to the plans to dual the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton. National Highways says it’s to allow more time to assess the environmental impact of widening the road. National Highways had been due to apply for a Development Consent Order on the project before Christmas but now says this won’t happen until later in the year.
South Somerset District Council has given the go-ahead for thirty low-cost homes to be built in South Petherton. The development of one-bed flats and two and three-bed houses will be sited on land at Flax Court. SSDC is also being asked to give planning consent to build 40 homes on Silver Street and 18 homes on Lampreys Lane in South Petherton.
A five-year plan is being drawn up for the future of the arts scene in Somerset. Local councils are working on the project, aimed at better promotion of the arts as well as creating new job opportunities in the arts.
The New Year has got off to a good start for Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil with the company winning a multi-million-pound order with Canada to upgrade search and rescue helicopters. The contract, worth £608 million pounds, will see the systems of sixteen Canadian AW101 Cormorants up-graded, extending the life expectancy of the aircraft by further 20 years.
Plans have been submitted to convert the rear part of Chard's former HSBC bank building into a residential dwelling. HSBC closed its Chard branch three years ago and, currently, the building stands unoccupied.
Crewkerne Town Council says it may have to permanently close the public toilets in Falkland Square in the town following repeated acts of anti-social behavior. Police are asking anyone who witnesses the toilets being misused to inform the Town Council or call the police non-emergency number 101.
Avon and Somerset Police say they'll be carrying out enhanced patrols for drink and drug driving during and after England's opening World Cup game tonight. Somerset Chamber of Commerce is warning that the conflict in Iran is having a serious impact on local businesses. A master thatcher based in Ilminster says the traditional craft of thatching is under threat because of a lack of training opportunities...and more
Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal two-vehicle crash on the A358 near Ilminster. A man from Norton-sub-Hamdon has appeared in court charged with drink driving. An original Mr Blobby costume from the former Blobbyland theme park at Cricket St Thomas has been put up for sale... and more
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
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
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
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
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
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.