A new pedestrian crossing over one of Glastonbury's busiest roads won't be delivered as part of a planned new housing development on the edge of the town.

Waddeton Park Ltd. secured outline permission on appeal in May 2023 to build up to 90 new homes on Lowerside Lane, located near the town's allotments, rugby club and carnival club sheds.

The site was recently sold on by agents Cooper & Tanner to an unspecified developer, with Somerset Council anticipating that the site will be delivered in full by the end of the current decade.

But no new crossing over the busy A39 Wells Road has been included within the outline planning permission – meaning residents must rely on either a narrow pavement to a neighbouring estate or an existing subway with steep slopes.

The site – which was allocated within the council's Mendip Local Plan Part II – lies between two existing sets of allotments, a short distance from both Glastonbury Football Club's ground on Godney Road and Tor Rugby Club on Lowerside Lane itself.

Under the approved outline plans, both sets of allotments will be preserved, with a new solitary access being created onto Lowerside Lane and 218 car parking spaces being provided on-site.

Pedestrian access will also be provided onto Common Moor Drove, not far from the Butler Carnival Park where the town's annual carnival carts are constructed and stored.

For those seeking to walk or cycle from the new homes to the town centre, there are currently two options – neither of which are ideal.

One entails walking along a narrow pavement along the northern side of the A39 and through a gate into the neighbouring Kingsfield estate, exiting from Bligh Bond Road back onto the A39 and using the existing signal-controlled pedestrian crossing.

The other involves using the subway which runs under the A39 and links up with Lowerside Road, linking up with other footpaths onto the wider pavement and shared cycle link on the southern side of the A39.

This cycle link runs into the town centre via Benedict Street, linking up with the new multi-user paths to Tor Sports and Leisure which have been delivered as part of the £23.6m Glastonbury town deal.

But cyclists cannot currently ride through the subway (having to dismount there and at other points near the A39), and both the steps and ramp leading up to Lowerside Road can be treacherous in wintry weather.

Somerset Council said there was no requirement within the outline planning permission for any future developer to deliver an additional crossing as part of building out the site.

A spokesman said: "The outline planning permission sets out various requirements for access arrangements to the site which would need to be complied with.

"Any outstanding matters related to layout and design within the site are yet to be approved.

"There is no requirement through the planning process for safety improvements near the site to be investigated further."

Under the approved conditions, none of the new homes can be occupied until the vehicular access has been delivered, including a pavement and cycle lane along Lowerside Lane itself – but no additional crossing or revamping of existing links further from the site.

The council said it had been having early discussions with the new owner of the site, but could not divulge further details due to commercial sensitivity.

A spokesman said: "We have been approached regarding delivering a scheme of development on the site by an interested party seeking advice through our pre-application process.

"This is a process we provide on a confidential basis, so we cannot share any ownership details at this stage.

"The inspector's decision sets out the time frame by which a reserved matters application would need to be submitted, which is within three years from the date the decision was issued on March 8, 2023."

The delivery of this site and others within the River Brue catchment have been delayed by the ongoing phosphates crisis, with developers needing to secure additional mitigation to prevent any net increase in phosphates on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

To offset the phosphates generated from the new homes, Wessex Water has promised to upgrade Glastonbury's waste treatment centre on Beckery Old Road by the end of 2025.

Phosphate credits will also be purchased by the developer to offset additional phosphate levels, with the closure of the pig farming unit at Yew Tree Farm near Wraxall being used to mitigate both this site and a further 280 homes on the B3151 Somerton Road in Street.

The council said it was confident that the site could be built out in full by the time the Mendip Local Plan period ends in five years' time.

A spokesman said: "We are confident that delivery will come forward by 2029, as set out in our statement of common ground submitted to the Planning Inspectorate."