Developers are hoping to build two homes in a small Somerset village with a congestion problem.

Bickfield Property Investments Ltd submitted a planning application to North Somerset Council to build two homes right in the centre of Banwell, off High Street behind the former Ship Inn.

The homes would both be two-storeys high with four bedrooms in each.

You can view and comment on the plans here: https://planning.n-somerset.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=S4U1BVLPFW400&activeTab=summary

Planning permission had been granted in 2020 but expired after work did not begin within three years — although developers argued that their clearing of the site and ecological measures in 2022 should have counted. They are now applying to get the permission again, with a few design changes “to create a more modest appearance.”

The homes will be just around the corner from “the narrows,” a major bottleneck in the village which sees an A-road go down to a single lane. Work is hoped to start this year on a bypass to relieve the village of its traffic problem — almost 100 years after it was first proposed. 

One local commented on the plans, saying: "The proposed development does not align with the character of the surrounding neighbourhood. The introduction of additional housing units may compromise the architectural harmony and overall ambiance of the area."