New plans for the development of the former Greencore site in Evercreech have been slammed for "lacking imagination" and failing to respect the heritage of the site.

Mendip District Councillor for the ward, Barry O'Leary, has spoken out after the developer, West Estates, submitted a new application to Mendip. He says the plans will create "an urban island stranded in Somerset."

The Greencore factory closed in 2018, resulting in the loss of around 400 jobs. The site was then sold, and West Estates submitted their first application in September 2020, asking to build 110 homes on the site. It was refused in November 2021 after the parish council and nearly a quarter of Evercreech residents lodged objections to the plans, with planners saying that the site was only big enough for 75 homes. But the latest application has ignored the advice, asking for permission to build 120 homes on the site. They were also told that the creamery building had to be protected, and yet the new plans propose to knock down all the buildings except for Kemp's Mill, which will house some commercial space.

Cllr O'Leary said: "This plan is virtually the same as the old plan. But there are more houses, and they have upped the commercial density in one building.

"I don't know why they think it will be approved. I have asked them to withdraw because I think they are wasting their time. I am certain it will get thrown out."

But according to Cllr O'Leary, nobody is against developing the now derelict site, if it is done sensitively.

"No-one is saying 'we don't want development',"he said. "They are saying 'We want our heritage site adapted.' But West Estates don't want to listen. They should sell the land; they don't know what they are doing.

"It needs some imagination. And a good developer would understand the heritage of the site. It could be a destination where people want to live.

"We could have a mixed use site, with some commercial and some housing. There could be some live/work units for more artisan makers. We could have a proper village centre. We have the Mendip School nearby for young people with special needs – there could be some housing adapted for people with additional needs or mobility issues. Any community would back that.

"It's about the people who own the site imagining better, and delivering it."

Evercreech Parish Council have also responded to the plans saying: "They appear to have paid no attention whatsoever to the needs for a mixed-usescheme expressed by the District and Parish Council, and to have scant regard for the heritage assets.

"The scheme envisaged 120 dwellings (84 market housing and 36 social) this size of development is not suitable under district standards for a village location in terms of recommended density.

"Once again totally ignoring the recognition that the creamery buildings are IRREPLACEABLE and contribute to the character and appearance of the conservation area. They have a prominence in the street scene that helps define the character of the village and that of the conservation area and must be retained and re-used."

In its covering letter with the application on behalf of West Estates the Bristol office of Lichfields planning and development consultants wrote: "The application proposes an opportunity to deliver a high quality residential led development on a previously used derelict site, in a very sustainable location."

The letter also makes several other points about the plans including that the site is no longer suitable for employment development and therefore the development will create wider economic benefits; the site is sustainable located within the settlement boundary of Evercreech and would therefore be 'windfall' development; it offers 30 per cent affordable housing; it will regenerate a derelict site and that Kemp's Mill will be retained and could be converted for employment and community use.