A "once-in-a-generation" housing development that will bring more than 600 new homes to a Somerset town has been unanimously approved by local councillors.

C. G. Fry and Sons, in conjunction with the Duchy of Cornwall Estate, applied back in July 2018 for outline permission to build up to 620 new homes on land south of the A371 Cannard's Grave Road in Shepton Mallet.

Following years of negotiations and delays brought on by the phosphates crisis, the plans - which also include a primary school, a care home and commercial space - came before Somerset Council's planning committee east on Monday morning (September 1).

Despite concerns about parking provision and the need for a community centre, the committee voted unanimously to back the proposals after more than two hours' debate.

The site is designed to deliver the bulk of Shepton Mallet's new housing over a ten-year period, being allocated in both the Mendip Local Plan Part I (which was ratified in December 2014) and the Shepton Mallet Neighbourhood Plan (which was formally adopted in mid-August this year).

The primary vehicular access to the site will be from Cannard's Grave Road, with a new roundabout being constructed to replace the existing entrance into the Tadley Acres estate (via Little Brooks Lane).

Of the 620 new homes planned within the site, 30 per cent will be affordable (the equivalent of 186 properties), meeting the council's target for any new development of ten homes or more within the former Mendip area.

The new school (which will be delivered near the main road) could be delivered through one of two means, depending on the viability of the site; either the developer will construct it entirely under its own steam, or it will set aside the land and provide the council with more than £8.1m to build the facility.

Additional contributions will made to special needs schooling elsewhere in the Shepton area (to the tune of nearly £258,000) and to local NHS facilities (with nearly £276,000 being shared between the Grove House Surgery and the Park Medical Practice).

New walking and cycling links will be provided throughout the site (including enhancements to the existing footpaths) and to provide onward travel, with a new pedestrian crossing over the A371 and around £25,000 being provided for improvements to the Strawberry Line or other local active travel projects.

Richard Thomas, the outgoing chairman of the Shepton Mallet Neighbourhood Plan steering group, told the committee when it met mere yards from the site on Monday (September 1) that delivering a community hall or similar building was essential for the town's future.

He said: "We do need this housing to help with the town's economic regeneration, but what's missing is a community building with meeting rooms and health facilities.

"We have no publicly owned community buildings. We have an estate next door in Tadley Acres where such a building was promised but never delivered.

"The health of a community depends on such buildings to allow people to come together.

I'm asking now, as we consider this outline proposal, that we put down a mark on the developer (who have been quite resistant) that such a building not just be included, but be at the centre of our thinking."

Fletcher Robinson, of CPRE Somerset, praised the design of the scheme, stating it would better reflect local needs and character than the proposed Selwood Garden Community in Frome (which was the subject of a planning inquiry in early-August).

He said: "We would like to express our support for this attractive scheme in Shepton Mallet. We feel confident that the masterplan will be delivered without significant changes.

"The scheme makes reasonable connections to the town centre, to the surrounding communities and to the countryside. This scheme will be a great place to live and will do wonders for the regeneration of Shepton Mallet."

Councillor Helen Kay (Green, Frome West) said she remained concerned about the design of the development, especially when it came to car parking and flood prevention.

She said: "I do not see any mention of water butts in here - they will reduce surface water run-off when we get serious rain going forward.

"On the original masterplan, the blocks along the bottom of the development all had on-street parking & long gardens. Now what's being proposed after the Design Review Panel is to halve those gardens and have parking lots behind the homes.

"That is going to create more Tarmac and more surface water that can't permeate through. I am not happy about that.

"At the end of my life, I would not want to go into a care home that is on a main road. Equally, if I were a teacher, I would not want to teach at a school on a main road."

Councillor Barry Clarke (Conservative, Mendip Central and East) said that the development would be too concentrated, resulting in a more urban character and creating problems for motorists.

He added: "I think the densities we're talking about here is very close to the limit of 30 dwellings per hectare.

"It strikes me as too high - in the old Avon county, they did developments as 23 homes to the hectare, with wide roads for buses.

"This has been squeezed to the extreme. 500 homes would be enough."

Councillor Claire Sully (Liberal Democrat, Mendip South) was more positive, arguing that delivering a community centre within the site or on neighbouring land would boost the town's fortunes.

She said: "Shepton Mallet has incredible potential, with a community wanting to drive forward positive change.

"I can see the community here is eager to drive its own destiny, and we are here to support and empower them. This is an opportunity to have a conversation around a community centre.

"I want to say to the developer: look at what is already going on in the town and see what you can do to help this.

"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity."

After more than two hours' debate, the committee voted unanimously in favour of the plans.

A reserved matters application, specifying the design and layout of the new homes, is expected to be submitted early in the new year.

If this in turn is approved, construction of the first homes could begin in 2027.