15 affordable apartments at Bridgwater Gateway Development, North Petherton, Bridgwater
Summary of planning committee decision
Decided by Somerset North on 9 Jun 2026.
The site and surroundings
The 0.49-hectare site lies northeast of Carnival Way within Bridgwater Gateway, near housing, commercial units, a supermarket and the M5 connection.
“The application site comprises of approx. 0.49 hectares of land to the north- east of Carnival Way. The site benefits from outline consent for 15 dwellings (ref 37/22/00071, as varied by 37/25/00042, which benefits from resolution to grant (May 2026 Planning Committee)”
“To the west of the site lies the remainder of Bridgwater Gateway - Phase 2, where there is and extant full permission for the erection of 346 dwellings.”
Officer report
Planning history
The site has outline permission for 15 dwellings, following earlier applications for residential development, landscaping, environmental screening and a later variation.
“37/25/00042 - Variation of Conditions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 22 & 25 of Planning Permission 37/22/00071 (Hybrid planning application (Outline and Full), Outline planning application with some matters reserved for the erection of 15no. dwellings, including green infrastructure, drainage and other associated infrastructure works. Full planning application for the erection of 346no.”
“37/25/00053 - Request for an environmental impact assessment screening opinion for variation of Conditions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14 & 22 of Planning Permission 37/22/00071 to amend the site layout to provide adoptable roads, replace house types, amend dwelling heights, increase the proportion of 3-bed homes, re-orient houses to overlook open spaces, add a 3m wide shared cycle and pedestrian route through the site, replace 'communal gardens' with private gardens,…”
Officer report
Who spoke
The committee heard from North Petherton Town Council and the planning agent.
What members debated
Members discussed cumulative traffic, the limits of reserved matters, affordable housing, building height, visual cohesion, drainage and wider infrastructure pressures.
“Councillors acknowledged concerns raised by North Petherton Town Council regarding traffic congestion and cumulative development impacts, and the adequacy of highways infrastructure in a growth area. Councillors expressed sympathy with the Town Council’s work and local concerns. Officers clarified that highways impacts were assessed at outline stage, including cumulative effects from the wider scheme.”
“Highlighted additional affordable units are also provided elsewhere in the scheme. • Councillors raised concerns regarding the use of a three-storey block within predominantly two-storey surroundings and the overall visual cohesion and layout of the development. Officers explained that reducing height would require a larger building footprint, reducing landscaping and amenity space.”
Minutes
The vote
Councillor Martin proposed approval, Councillor Hendry seconded it, and members voted nine for, one against and no abstentions.
“After deliberations Councillor Martin proposed to grant planning permission. This was seconded by Councillor Hendry.”
“Having been duly proposed and seconded the Planning Committee resolved that the Planning Application be granted planning permission in line with the officer recommendation, with the additional condition recommended by the Lead Local Flood Authority, as read out to the Committee.”
Minutes
The members' reasons
“Councillors were invited to discuss the application, and the following points were raised: • Councillors recognised that this was a reserved matters application, and therefore the principle of development and overall quantum of housing had already been approved at outline stage. • Councillors acknowledged concerns raised by North Petherton Town Council regarding traffic congestion and cumulative development impacts, and the adequacy of highways infrastructure in a growth area.”
“Councillors also recognised that the broader development had already been approved in principle. • Councillors accepted that principle, housing numbers, highways and drainage impacts had been addressed at outline stage, and that the current application was limited to detailed design matters.”
Minutes
Source: the council's minutes, quoted word for word.
Sources
- Somerset North minutes, 9 June 2026
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of Somerset's committee minutes and officer report. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
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See the API →At the meeting
- Committee
- Somerset North
- Council
- Somerset
- Date
- Tuesday 9 June 2026
- Recommendation
- Officers recommended approval
- Committee decided
- Approved
- Vote
- 9 for, 1 against
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- Somerset committee decisions →
Source: Plota analysis of the minutes.
This committee's year
20 decisions in the 12 months to this meeting, 1 against officer advice.
Source: Plota analysis of the committee's minutes.