Plans to build new homes on the Somerset Levels have been pushed back to allow local councillors to visit the site.

Summerfield Developments put forward plans for 26 new homes on Back Lane in the village of Middlezoy, which lies roughly halfway between Bridgwater and Langport near the crucial A372.

Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee was expected to give a ruling on these proposals when it met in Bridgwater on Tuesday morning (November 15).

However, after 45 minutes’ debate, the committee voted to defer a decision until they had visited the site to assess the safety of the local roads.

The site lies at the eastern edge of the settlement, a short distance from both the village hall and the local primary school.

Ten affordable homes will be provided as part of the Summerfield proposals, with the homes ranging from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses and a new access road onto Back Lane being created.

Douglas Bartys told the committee that there was “a complete lack of support” for the plans among local residents and that the site was the wrong location for this level of development.

He said: “Just over two weeks ago, in a televised interview, Michael Gove said government policy must be the right homes in the right place and must have community support. Summerfield’s plan meets none of these criteria.

“The planned 16 market homes are unwanted and not needed – they’re the wrong homes.

“Back Lane is the worst possible option – its limitations and infrastructure deficits are as plain today as they were in 2019. So it’s the wrong place.

“There is a complete lack of support, even from those interested in the affordable options – so there is no community support.

“This is outrageous. This proposal was compromised from day one, and it ignores common sense and the local reality.”

More than 150 local residents lodged letters of objection, on top of a petition organised by former parish councillor Jason Mackay which had attracted 400 signatures.

Current parish councillor John Grisman added: “In 2019, we and the district council agreed not to proceed with the original development of Back Lane, primarily due to highways issues.

“The district council carried out a survey in 2020, which identified that 26 social properties were required. This appears to have been totally ignored, with the current properties being 8 social and 2 shared ownership – if they are even built.

“People are being put at risk on a single track road. In addition to Back Lane, there have been numerous accidents at the junction with Main Road over the years.

“The village has not been consulted, the village does not want this development, and the village does not want the traffic chaos that will be created.”

Summerfield Developments, which is based in Taunton, is currently delivering the Killams Park development within the county town, as well as 250 homes at the Liddymore Farm site in Watchet.

The company has also secured planning permission to build 20 homes on the former Carrott’s Farm Shop site in North Petherton, along with 94 homes on the A358 Tatworth Road in Chard.

Matt Martin, who represents the King Alfred division on Somerset County Council, warned that the development would not be sustainable in light of the limited facilities within the village.

He said: “This is not a site suitable for development. Middlezoy is an historic village which developed in an age before cars.

“Given that the employment opportunities within walking distance are at best limited, people will have to drive along the Back Lane bottleneck every morning and evening.”

District councillor Anthony Betty – whose King’s Isle ward includes the site – concurred: This doesn’t fulfil the need in Middlezoy. I don’t believe this will help the village – it’s going to cause more issues.

“Road improvements won’t improve this junction, because you’ll still get car parking on the roadside. We have no rural police presence, so who’s going to enforce this?”

The committee voted to defer a decision on the plans until a site visit had taken place to assess the impact of the proposed homes on the local road network.

The site visit is expected to take place in the coming weeks, meaning the plans could come back before the committee at its next meeting in mid-December.