Nearly 300 new homes will be built in Street despite concerns about localised flooding.

The Ninesquare Trust, which is based in Baltonsborough, applied in December 2019 to construct up to 280 new homes on land west of the B3151 Somerton Road in Street.

Mendip District Council's planning board was due to consider the plans in the summer of 2020, but a decision was pushed back in light of the Dutch N court ruling, which concerns phosphate levels on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

More than two years later, councillors have given the outline plans their blessing, despite concerns that part of the site is susceptible to flooding.

The site, which lies near the Millfield School complex at the south-eastern corner of the village, is allocated for development within the council's Local Plan Part II, which was ratified by the full council in December 2021.

Despite a recent judicial review, which saw five sites between Frome and Midsomer Norton removed from the Local Plan, this site is still legally earmarked for a minimum of 280 homes.

A new access onto Somerton Road will be created, with new crossing being out in place and the existing public right of way through the site is enhanced, providing a safe pedestrian route to the village centre along Burleigh Lane.

To deal with the phosphates generated from the site, Yew Tree Farm at Hembridge, near Wraxall – some time miles from the new homes – will take its current pig farming unit out of commission and plant trees on the land instead.

Street Parish Council has objected to the plans, with parish councillor Andy Leafe making its views clear when the district council's planning board met in Shepton Mallet on Wednesday evening (January 18).

He said: "The high-density housing which is on this site has been situated very close to the northern boundary. It will be an unneighbourly form of development.

"It will be entirely out of character with the surrounding area."

Councillor Liz Leyshon, whose Street South ward includes the site, said the plans had been extensively scrutinised to ensure to use new residents would be safe.

She said: "Before covid and before phosphates, we spent a great deal of time on these plans with highways officers. The solution they've put forward for Burleigh Lane seemed to me to be a good solution.

"The road that runs north-south, the B3151, is a busy road and carries a lot of freight traffic. There is no footpath along the side of the road. The proposed crossings are simply designated crossing places. However, if a resident were to travel up Burleigh Lane, they would be able to access all the local facilities."

As part of the development, the trust has offered to provide nearly £2m towards early years and primary school provision in the village.

However, Ms Leyshon said the entire sum may not be entirely necessary, in light of falling pupils numbers in the more rural parts of Somerset.

Councillor Barbi Lund said she was not convinced the land was right for housing, given its condition during the recent inclement weather.

She said: "My concern is about the flooding. When I visited the site, around 25 per cent, the whole north-eastern corner, had visible water on it. In terms of detriment to the amenity of residents, and adverse environmental impact, I'm not confident that housing should be there."

Councillor Lindsay MacDougall – who represents the nearby Glastonbury St Mary ward – agreed: "I don't feel able to vote for this application. The serious water issue has not been recognised – there was a lake in the middle of the field when I visited."

Councillor Nigel Hewitt-Cooper, however, said it would be difficult for the council to win an appeal if it refused planning permission for this site.

He said: "This application has been in the system for quite some time – it's one of the most detailed I've seen. This is an allocated site and I can find no material planning reason to refuse this – we would be on a sticky wicket if we did that."

The board ultimately voted to approve the outline plans by 11 votes to two, with one abstention. A reserved matters application, detailing the layout and design of the houses, is expected to be submitted to the council's unitary successor later in the year.