MORE than 550 new homes cannot be built in Sedgemoor because the district council and housing developers have failed to reach agreement.

Sedgemoor District Council has granted permission to a number of major housing developments across the district, including sites in Bridgwater, Cheddar and North Petherton.

Work on these new homes cannot begin until the council and developer have signed a legal agreement – known as a Section 106 – which commits the developer to providing affordable housing and funding for local amenities, such as children’s play areas or cycle routes.

But on four key sites the two parties remain at a deadlock – meaning not a single brick can be laid.

An update on outstanding agreements came before the council’s development committee in Bridgwater on Tuesday morning (May 28).

At a previous meeting in January, council officers confirmed the total number of homes stymied by Section 106 negotiations stood at 635.

Since then, two major developments have been successfully signed off – 111 homes at the Dawes Farm site on Taunton Road in North Petherton, and 67 homes to the north of Helliers Lane in Cheddar.

But that still leaves a total of 558 homes which were approved either before or since the January meeting – which breaks down as follows:

260 homes on Bower Lane, Bridgwater (approved June 5, 2018): this site represents the first phase of the wider Bower Lane development, including 78 affordable homes, a new roundabout on the A372 and the beginning of a new spine road which will eventually connect the whole development to the A39.

Stuart Houlet, the council’s service manager for development management, said the council was “making progress” but that “viability work was being undertaken” – meaning the plans may come back to the committee in June or July if the developer wishes to reduce the amount of affordable housing

130 homes on Taunton Road, North Petherton (approved April 16, 2019): Persimmon Severn Valley was granted permission to develop this site in April 2019, despite concerns that it would lead to children having to be travel to the other side of Bridgwater to attend school.

Mr Houlet said he was expecting issues surrounding the legal agreement for this site to be resolved by late-July. He said: “We have requested an undertaking of costs, and instructions have been issued to our solicitor.”

72 homes on Taunton Road, North Petherton (approved October 23, 2018): The other North Petherton site involves land near the town’s rugby club, with 22 of the 72 new homes being affordable. Mr Houlet said the developer had agreed to pay Somerset County Council for any costs incurred in creating the legal agreement, which is “with the county council for consideration”. He said a final draft was expected to be signed off in July.

There also 96 homes at Round Oak Farm, Axbridge Road in Cheddar stymied by similar problems.

A further update on the outstanding legal agreements will come back to the committee in the summer.