Homes planned near busy railway station

Nearly 50 homes could be built near one of Somerset's busiest railway stations.

Revised proposals for 49 homes have been submitted on Burfitt Road, Castle Cary, by developers Backhouse Housing.

The town has seen significant housing growth over the past decade, with numerous new estates being approved between the town centre and the railway station, which lies in the neighbouring parish of Ansford.

The Chippenham-based developer - which previously built 74 homes on a neighbouring site - had initially suggested building 60 homes but has since reduced this.

A spokesperson for Grass Roots Planning, representing the developer, said the proposals would provide "significant benefits", adding "up to 17" of the houses would be affordable.

This new development would be accessed from Burfitt Road within the Lovel's Farm site, with pedestrian access being provided onto Lockett Drive at the site's western edge, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A further pedestrian access will be provided onto Ansford Hill, with the possibility of a pedestrian crossing over the main road.

If delivered, this would provide a complete walking and cycling link to the railway station, which handles around 310,000 passenger journeys per year, via the existing footpath through the Station Green site.

No pedestrian link is currently proposed to link the Backhouse site with Redcliffe Homes' planned development of 29 houses on the B3152 Station Road, which was approved in September 2024.

The Grass Roots Planning spokesperson added: "The density of the scheme has been adapted to respond to the character of the site and the landscape baseline, with the design reflecting the recently approved scheme adjacent, to ensure consistency and harmony between recent developments."

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the proposals by the end of the year.

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