Plans for 125 homes to be built off Old Wells Road on the edge of Shepton Mallet have been turned down by Mendip District Council.

An application for outline planning permission with all matters reserved except access for the development of up to 125 dwellings, a new vehicular access onto Old Wells Road, pedestrian/cycle access, landscaping, public open space, drainage attenuation and related infrastructure and engineering works on land to the south of Old Wells Road, Shepton Mallet, had been submitted by Redrow Homes.

The house-builder originally planned 133 homes on the site, but following a consultation held last year, submitted a proposal for 125 dwellings instead.

The site lies to the west of the town's West Shepton playing fields, which are the home of Shepton Mallet AFC, and is currently in active agricultural use.

Access to the new development was to be via Old Wells Road, with the homes being concentrated near the northern end of the site.

The southernmost part of the site was going to be set aside for communal green space – including a community orchard, play area, micro-allotments and a kickabout space.

Pedestrian access was to be provided to the site from the existing lanes to the west and south of the site, with further green space being provided at the north-east corner leading onto Old Wells Road.

Redrow described the proposals as "a limited residential extension on the western fringe of the town" – even though the site was not included within the council's last Local Plan.

In refusing the plans, the Mendip planning officer's report said: "It is considered that the proposal would result in an excessive quantum of development alongside the open and undeveloped rural edge of Shepton Mallet.

"Assessed against the presumption in favour of sustainable development and given the quantum of development being proposed, it is concluded that the proposal would result in an unacceptable degree of visual encroachment into the countryside and harm to the rural character of site, the edge of the town, and the wider landscape.

"The use of the access to the site in connection with the development proposed would be likely to increase the conflict of traffic movements close to an existing junction resulting in additional hazard and inconvenience to all users of the highway.

"The main benefit of the proposal is to provide housing where there is an identified shortfall within the council's five-year housing land supply.

"However, for ecological, highways and landscape reasons, the adverse impact of the development on the loss of an undeveloped site on the rural edge of Shepton Mallet will significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of providing additional housing."