More than 600 homes and a new primary school will be built on Duchy of Cornwall land in Shepton Mallet after Somerset Council re-approved the scheme with updated conditions to address river pollution.

The development will see 620 homes, a care home, nursery and new green travel links constructed on the Mid Somerset Showground site off the A371 Cannards Grave Road. Thirty per cent of the homes will be classed as affordable.

C G Fry & Son Ltd and the Duchy of Cornwall first submitted plans in 2018. Outline permission was granted in September 2025, but councillors were asked to confirm phosphate mitigation conditions before it could proceed.

Phosphate pollution has blocked around 12,000 homes across Somerset from being built due to legal rulings protecting the Somerset Levels. The developers have now secured credits under a nutrient neutrality scheme to move forward.

£500k in community contributions

The site will be Shepton Mallet's largest housing allocation for the next decade. Councillors confirmed that:

• £258,000 will be allocated to special needs education
• £276,000 will support Grove House Surgery and Park Medical Practice
• £25,000 will fund Strawberry Line upgrades or other active travel improvements

Pedestrian and cycle routes will run throughout the site, with a new A371 crossing to support safe access. Land to the south has been retained for the Mid Somerset Show to continue operating.

A detailed application on layout and design is expected later this year, with construction likely to start in 2027.

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