Residents across the Somer Valley are currently being encouraged to have their say on proposals that could shape future development in the area for years to come, with just over a week remaining before a major public consultation closes.
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Draft Local Plan sets out where new housing, employment sites and infrastructure could be developed across the district, including proposals affecting Radstock, Midsomer Norton, Peasedown St John and surrounding communities.
The Local Plan will play a major role in determining future planning applications, identifying land for development and establishing policies covering housing, transport, employment and the environment.
The six-week public consultation, which opened on 18 September, closes on Friday 30 October 2026.
Radstock Town Council has prepared and published a comprehensive 24-page formal response to the draft plan, setting out its concerns about aspects of the proposals and identifying changes it believes are necessary.
Radstock Town Council’s representations examine whether the draft plan meets the legal requirements and tests of soundness needed before it can be submitted for independent examination by a government-appointed planning inspector.
Residents of Radstock are being invited to examine the document, discuss the issues raised and suggest additional comments for Radstock Town Council to consider.
Radstock’s public drop-in session will take place on Saturday 24 October, from 10am to 12 noon, at Radstock Community Hub and Library, The Street, Radstock, BA3 3PR.
Radstock Town Council’s representations can also be viewed on its website:
Meanwhile, the Peasedown St John drop-in sessions have been organised by the village’s Independent B&NES Councillor, Cllr Karen Walker to help residents understand what the draft Local Plan could mean for the village and surrounding area.
Among the proposals under consideration for Peasedown St John are potential housing developments providing approximately 940 additional homes, including around 860 homes on land south of the village near the A367 bypass and a further 80 homes between Church Road and Hillcrest. Proposals also include development at Bath Business Park to provide additional employment opportunities.
Cllr Walker’s sixth, and final, drop-in session will take place on Saturday 24th October, from 10am to 1pm, at Peasedown Community Library, The Hive Community Centre, Peasedown St John, BA2 8DH.
Paulton Parish Council held a public meeting on Friday 9 October to discuss the Draft Local Plan, giving residents an opportunity to learn more about the proposals affecting their community.
Midsomer Norton Town Council has not published a formal response to the Draft Local Plan, nor has it announced any public drop-in sessions or meetings where residents can discuss the proposals, express their views or comment on either the plan itself or the Town Council’s response to the plan.
Westfield has an adopted Neighbourhood Development Plan, approved in 2018, which gives the parish its own locally agreed planning policies. These form part of the statutory development plan and must be considered when planning applications are determined. However, the parish is not exempt from the wider Local Plan, and Westfield residents are still entitled to comment on its proposals.
The current consultation being undertaken by B&NES is known as Regulation 19. It is particularly important because it represents the final opportunity for residents to make formal representations before the plan is submitted for independent examination.
Unlike earlier stages of consultation, which invited suggestions about what the Local Plan should contain, this stage focuses on whether the draft plan is legally compliant, sound and ready for independent examination.
Residents can raise concerns about matters such as whether proposed development is supported by adequate infrastructure, whether sites have been appropriately assessed and whether the plan is justified by the available evidence.
The deadline for submitting representations is Friday 30 October 2026.
Full details and the online consultation form are available at:
