About this page
How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works
These site options pages contain the following sections:
Site background
- A broad description of the site, with map if appropriate
- An overview of development proposed or already in progress
- Relevant aspects of planning policy for this site
- The history and status of any planning applications for this site
Options for the new Local Plan
We may suggest one or more possible approaches:
- Keeping existing plans for this site as they are
- Making small changes to our approach, which may allow for changes
- Replacing the approach with something that is substantially different
- Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future
Each option will have a short analysis:
- Opportunities presented by the site option
- Constraints (obstacles which would need to be addressed)
- Mitigations (Measures that would be needed to reduce any harm development would cause)
- Further information we'd need to make a more in-depth assessment of the suitability of the site or option
Policy context note
- Where decisions about this site or option may affect how we approach other sites (or vice versa), we will add a note to explain
Explore this site option
Select a section below to read more.
7.23 The area to the south west of Peasedown St John comprises three fields aligned along the northern side of the A367. While this parcel projects beyond the current boundary of the settlement, it is well connected to the existing urban area and there are clear opportunities to create better connections, particularly in terms of active travel. The land is nestled adjacent to an ancient woodland as well as having a well treed road frontage with hedgerows that reduce intervisibility with other parts of the wider landscape. All of these features and especially the ancient woodland are vulnerable to damage or loss from new development.
7.24 The area has the potential to be developed for residential uses, together with landscape and habitat enhancement/creation. There is also scope for the creation of new public transport and active travel connections back into the village and towards key destinations such as the village centre, the church and primary school.
7.25 The area south of Peasedown St John is open arable fields which were historically part of a local estate and includes parkland trees. There are several Public Rights of Way leading out into the countryside, originating in the village centre of Peasedown St John and extending out through the area to the south of the A367, which forms a hard, southern edge to the village. The existing buildings on the southern side turn their backs to the A367, as does the residential development on the north side of the road. The parcels on the southern side of the A367 are on a skyline which slopes gently towards the south and is clearly visible in medium- and long-distance views across the valley. The visibility of these parcels in some views means this land is not suitable for residential development. The severance of this land from the main village by the A367 limits development opportunities as there are limited opportunities for pedestrian connection back into the village.
7.26 The area to the south of the A367 provides an opportunity for a mobility hub, supporting and connecting with a network of transport interchange hubs to provide seamless, convenient, end-to-end mobility for longer journeys through the district by improving public transport accessibility.
7.27 The remaining land within the HELAA site is not considered appropriate for residential or employment development. However, the site is shown as being ‘unconstrained’ land within the Renewable Energy Resource Assessment Study (RERAS). Therefore, there is scope to explore the possibility of using the land as a large scale solar PV installation subject to further assessment of landscape impact and mitigation.
7.28 Further to the east, adjacent to the hospital and existing employment site (and, therefore, taking advantage of the existing junction) there is an opportunity for suitably scaled industrial/commercial development. The current development is highly visible within the landscape and therefore any development here would need mitigation to screen the buildings from the surrounding landscape.
Option A
Figure 47: Indicative Concept Plan - Peasedown St John
Opportunities
- Addition of up to 200 homes, of which an element would be affordable housing
- Expansion of Bath Business Park
- Renewable Energy from solar PV to the south of the village and improved grassland
- A new Mobility Hub on the A367 to allow for ongoing public transport travel into Bath
- Highway improvements to existing junctions
- Quiet lanes and new roundabouts proposed by the Somer Valley Links project
Constraints
- Landscape character
- Conservation Area
- Highways
- Ancient woodland
- Green space provision
- Secondary school pupils would need to be transported to Writhlington School in Radstock at a cost to the Council, and would not be able to reach school using active modes.
Mitigation required
- Landscape buffers
- Highway improvements
- Biodiversity net gain
- Planting
- Provision of on-site green space
- Access to local food growing
Further investigation or evidence
- Archaeological assessment
- Heritage assessment
- Confirmation of highway improvements
- Landscape Visual Impact Assessment