REVISED proposals have been put forward for a new housing development dubbed “one of the worst” in Somerset.

East Brent LVA LLP applied for outline permission to build 40 new homes on Old Bristol Road in the village of East Brent near Burnham-on-Sea, not far from the Sedgemoor services on the M5.

Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee refused the proposals in August 2020, but this decision was subsequently reversed by the Planning Inspectorate following a successful appeal.

The developer has now teamed up with Newport-based Edenstone Homes to put forward amended plans for the site.

The development site is classified by the Environment Agency (EA) as being in flood zone 3a – meaning there is at least a one per cent chance of it being flooded in the future.

To counteract this, the outline plans proposed importing 30,000 cubic metres of soil to the site, raising the whole area by one metre.

Access to the site will be from Old Bristol Road, crossing over Brock’s Pill Rhyne, with a new footpath being provided to link the new homes to key services in the village.

Bridgwater Mercury: Revised Plans For 40 Homes On Old Bristol Road In East Brent. CREDIT: Edenstone Homes. Free to use for all BBC wire partners.

Under the amended proposals (known as reserved matters), 16 of the 40 homes will be affordable – the equivalent of 40 per cent, which is higher than the council’s 30 per cent target for any new development comprising ten homes or more.

A spokesman for Edenstone Homes said: “The development has been designed to be low-density to reference the scale and density of the built environment within East Brent.

“The development has also been designed represent an efficient use of land. It consists of semi-detached and detached houses,which is the prevailing characteristic of the built environment of East Brent.”

A total of 108 car parking spaces will be provided within the site, with an attenuation pond being provided at the northern end to further mitigate the risk of flooding.

Planning inspector Liam Page ruled in December 2021 that there was “sufficient evidence” that raising the site and slowing the discharge of surface water into the nearby rhyne would reduce the risk to locals.

He stated: “There is no evidence that the principle of development is unacceptable, including in relation to the strategic housing land availability assessment position, the protection of green belt land or otherwise.

“Consequently, given that the principle of development is acceptable, there is sufficient control at reserved matters to manage the expansion of the village in terms of safeguarding the character and appearance of the area.”

The council is expected to make a decision on the amended plans in the spring.