A decision on building new homes and relocating Bruton's GP surgery has been pushed back for a second time due to traffic concerns.

Woolsington One Ltd. put forward plans in late-2020 to build 65 new homes on land to the north of Brewham Road, as well as allocating land for a new doctors' surgery to replace the existing facility on Patwell Lane.

Somerset Council's planning committee south (which handles major applications within the former South Somerset area) chose to delay a decision on the plans in July to allow road safety issues to be addressed.

A decision has now been pushed back for a second time after councillors complained the new designs would "make life miserable for everyone" in the town.

The new homes (including 23 affordable properties) will be accessed from Wyvern Close, with the existing cul-de-sac being extended into a spine road and the northern edge of the site being largely allocated at public open space.

Double yellow lines will be installed on Wyvern Close and a short stretch of Brue Avenue to prevent the entrance to the new development from being obstructed by parked cars.

The new medical centre will be constructed at the northern end of the development, with a separate access being created off Cuckoo Hill (closer to the A359).

The existing surgery was identified as needing to expand or relocate by NHS bosses as far back as September 2020 – and currently has more than 5,700 patients on its books, as of December 2023 (the most recent figures available).

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Local resident Mike Brownlow was among the objectors when members of the council's planning committee south convened in Yeovil on Tuesday (November 26).

He said: "Those of us who living in the centre of Bruton are really worried by the cumulative effect of all this new development.

"We don't have a bypass – we have an inadequate A-road running through our historic centre.

""All the houses from this development will feed onto the A359, which is already congested."

Earlier in the same meeting, the committee had approved plans from the Acorn Property Group to build 60 new homes to the south of Brewham Road, with a secondary pedestrian access being delivered onto Darkey Lane.

Strongvox Homes also applied in late-August for permission to build a further 49 homes on the A359 Cuckoo Hill, which would include a footpath leading to the planned doctors' surgery.

Ewan Jones, who sits on Bruton Town Council, said: "Bruton has a desperate need for a surgery – but it should be at the bottom of the site, where there is level access to the town centre.

"We are presented here with a consultant who will sell the site to the highest bidder. We would like to work with the future developers to develop an acceptable scheme."

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Numerous councillors were vocal in their opposition to the plans, arguing people driving to and from the surgery would put huge pressure on the town's narrow residential streets.

Councillor Lucy Trimnell (whose Wincanton and Bruton division includes the site) said: "Not only will 130 new vehicles be added onto our road network, but many others will be driving to the doctors' surgery. It is not walkable."

Councillor Tom Power (who represents the same division) agreed, stating: "Adding more traffic on that road, next to a planned play area, is setting alarm bells ringing in my head.

"It's so hard to park in Bruton as it is – I'm lost for words over this.

"The corner of Cuckoo Hill is called 'Crash Corner' locally. Every time I drive past there, it's manic – where are people going to park?"

Councillor Oliver Patrick (Coker) said: "I like the principle of this, but the access is miserable. I worry about us setting this up in a way that will make life miserable for everyone."

Councillor Martin Wale (Chard North) added: "The access to this is not just through Wyvern Close, but through a purpose -build housing estate. It's totally unacceptable as an access for the doctor's surgery."

Rather than refuse the plans outright, the council's planning and highways officers argued that a decision should be deferred, allowing them to address these highways concerns directly with the developer and possibly come up with an alternative layout for the site.

The committee voted in favour of deferring a decision on these grounds by five votes to four, with one abstention. It is not currently clear how soon any revised plans will come back before the committee.