Local News Tuesday 9th November

Tuesday, 9 November 2021 06:00

Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil say winning an order to supply the AW 149 helicopter to the British government is vital to the future of the Yeovil factory. A public inquiry starts in Castle Cary today into controversial plans to build 200 new houses on a greenfield site next to Castle Cary railway station. New LED flood warning signs are being installed in Martock. Lyde Road in Yeovil between Sherborne Road and Buckland Road will shut from today for 18-days for laying new cabling...and more.

Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil say winning an order to supply the AW 149 helicopter to the British government is vital to the future of the Yeovil factory. The 149 is being promoted to replace the RAF’s ageing fleet of Puma helicopters. Managing Director of Leonardo’s in Yeovil, Nick Whitney, believes the 149 meets all the MOD’s requirements. A decision on the contract is due at any time.

A public inquiry starts in Castle Cary today into controversial plans to build 200 new houses on a greenfield site next to Castle Cary railway station. The inquiry’s being held after the plans were rejected by South Somerset District Council and both Castle Cary and Ansford parish councils on the grounds the development would place an added burden on the area’s local infrastructure. The inquiry is being held at Caryford Hall and is scheduled to last for four days.

New LED flood warning signs are being installed in Martock. They're being put up along Stoke Road, and are linked to river level sensors. Martock's flood warden coordinator, Gordon Swindells says it's a really dangerous stretch of road when it floods.

Lyde Road in Yeovil between Sherborne Road and Buckland Road will shut from today for 18-days for laying new cabling. The work’s being carried out by Jurassic Fibre to provide faster broadband in Yeovil.

People in Chard say they’re looking forward to using the town’s new leisure centre that opened to the public yesterday. It has a five-lane swimming pool, learner pool, gym, soft play area and café. The centre is run by Freedom Leisure in partnership with South Somerset District Council and has cost 16-and-a-half-million pounds to build.

In local sport, Yeovil Town have been drawn at home against MK Dons or Stevenage in the Second Round of the FA Cup.

More from News

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
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more