##Bawdrip is at risk of a new development of 10 houses and a village hall, all in open countryside and on a floodplain.

We aim to be a useful information source for residents and prospective buyers of the area of land around Bawdrip, Somerset.

Some villagers are opposed to Bawdrip losing its long-held status as a tranquil rural village and close-knit community, as it faces a proposal that will challenge its rural character, with the real risk of future development in and around this Tier- 4 village if this development goes ahead.

A previous application for planning permission on the same plot of land was refused in 2014 due to the significant risk of flooding on this land. The site was also considered unsustainable for development, due to the lack of amenities within Bawdrip, such as public transport/lack of bus route, or shops, This is a car accessible development only.

Given the current inflationary financial climate, any developer embarking on this project will need to make a substantial upfront financial commitment, due to the costs of land acquisition, borrowing, tariffs, National Insurance costs, increased planning fees (by 35% for major applications), infrastructure development, flood risk considerations, phased construction, and compliance with the onerous conditions set out in the##Section 106 agreement. Additionally, a number of brand-new homes within the village have been standing empty -unsold- for almost three years. This is all amidst falling house prices, tax increases and increased mortgage borrowing costs observed in recent years. Developers now encounter a variety of planning requirements and building regulations that need to be addressed to obtain full planning permission as this site only has outline planning. These include the recently introduced biodiversity net gain plan and a framework encouraging councils across England to focus on brownfield site developments. Beginning in 2025, new village halls will need to align with Local Nature Recovery Strategies to support environmental improvements. Additionally, the costs of legal and agents’ fees, along with expenses for planning submission itself, should be considered in every budget.

##Latest News

##Recently, a representative from the prospective developer, Crossman Homes, was present an extraordinary meeting of the parish council on Tuesday, 17th June 2025, to consider proposed changes to the Section 106 agreement regarding the size of the village hall. The developer disclosed that the site lacks commercial viability unless the hall size is reduced by 38%, stating that significant amendments are necessary for profitability. The section 106 agreement agreed in 2023 includes provisions for a fully equipped hall and a large car park. It was stated at the meeting that the landowner's investment now stands at £70,000.

The village lacks a local plan, is classified as Tier 4, and has no stated housing need, either within or outside its boundary. The proposed site, located outside the village boundary and on a floodplain, has been previously denied planning permission due to high flood risk and housing development concerns.

After discussion, the parish council voted against agreeing the proposed amendments to the Section 106 agreement, seeing no benefit to the village (four votes against and one abstention). This was due to the proposed new hall being only slightly larger than the current parish hall,(which has future funding allocated for any required renovation). Also, the 600 sqm of open space and play area currently allocated for the village in the s106 would be replaced by new detached properties, leaving only 100 sq m for the LAP & recreational use.

It was also felt that as the proposed hall with its reduced size would be the smallest in the area, its viability in terms of future use and lettings was questionable. With a population of only 500 residents, there is no need for two halls of the same or similar size, making both##economically unviable.

It was also stated by the developer at the meeting that the number of parking spaces would be reduced from 34 to only 20, also the village hall would be moved from the location set out in the submitted plans (although the parish council had not been informed of this prior to the meeting). It was felt that the lack of parking would pose a significant issue, especially as the s106 agreement specifies that the school must also have access to the site for overflow parking.

It is important to note that this site has only outline planning permission currently. Any purchaser will need to go through the process of applying for full consent before any development can commence. Minutes 17th June 2025 | Bawdrip Village . ## Latest Planning News

Also, the proposed housing mix would need to change from terraced and semi‑detached houses to all detached homes, which would necessitate reducing the size of the community areas and the hall because the plot size could not accommodate them. A new outline or full planning application would probably be required at this point, as this proposal now goes well beyond the original application and would not constitute minor material amendments or a simple change of layout.

The existing Section s106 agreement—along with the refusal of proposed amendments at the outline planning stage in 2025—imposes complex and demanding requirements on any future developer of the site, significantly affecting upfront costs and reducing overall project profitability

##The local authority/parish council still requires the developer to construct a fully equipped and ready to use 325 square metre purpose-built village hall with a solar roof, together with a large 34-space car parking area and infrastructure, which must be handed over to the parish council upon completion. It also includes amenities including a fully equipped play area and an open public space of 600 square metres enclosed by fencing. New pavements, drainage, landscaping and lighting will be required along the single-track Bradney Lane and around the housing estate, as the car park will be used as parking for the village school. All of these "infrastructure priorities and fully equipped LAP" must be finished and handed to the parish council before the developer is able to market 50% of the houses. Residents have set a high standard for the design and functionality of the village's new fully fitted public building, with the intention that it will serve the community for many years.

New Legislation -

The UK Future Homes Standard (FHS), set to be implemented in 2025 and is a significant change to current Building Regulations, targets a 75–80% CO2 reduction for new homes, while the Future Buildings Standard (FBS) applies similar principles to non-domestic buildings like village halls, aiming for 27–31% cuts. These changes to Building Regulations increase energy efficiency but bring added costs, including:

Triple glazing, although not yet mandatory, aligns with the Future Buildings Standard (FBS), expected in 2025, to boost energy efficiency through stricter fabric standards and the new Target Emission Rate (TER) and Target Fabric Energy Efficiency (TFEE) standards.
Low-carbon heating through heat pumps, favored by the Future Buildings Standard (2025) to replace gas boilers, reducing emissions and running costs despite higher upfront expenses.
New standards for ventilation, well-sealed structures, and airtightness, per Building Regulations, encourage low air permeability (e.g., 5 m³/h.m²). Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems, while not mandatory, suit airtight designs to balance energy efficiency and air quality.
Minimum energy efficiency targets require a village hall to meet Target Primary Energy Rate (TPER) and Target CO2 Emission Rate (TER) under Part L (2022), with tighter limits expected via the Future Buildings Standard (FBS) in 2025. The UK Construction Products Regulation and ongoing Reform (2025) demand compliant materials (e.g., fire-resistant cladding, sustainable insulation), aligned with BS EN standards for fire safety (post-Grenfell) and structural integrity, likely raising project costs.
Solar panels will be mandated for most new homes and buildings from 2025, per the Future Homes and Buildings Standards, with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband calling rooftop solar ‘just common sense’ and ‘almost universal.’ Developers must install panels on the vast majority, where practical, adding £3,000–£4,000 per home and likely more (e.g., £10,000+) for a village hall. Heat pumps and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) align with the Heat and Buildings Strategy (2021) to boost energy efficiency and air quality.
The Home Energy Model (HEM) reflects the UK’s shift toward more sustainable building standards. While EPC rating C remains a reasonable goal for existing buildings, new homes are now expected to achieve EPC rating B or better under current Building Regulations. There is no confirmed legal deadline for village halls to meet EPC C, although April 2027 has been suggested as a possible government target. Public buildings may face future obligations under the evolving Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) framework, which is currently under review.
For new residential developments, meeting minimum energy efficiency standards typically adds around £3,500 per home. A standard 3-bedroom house (~120 m²) built in 2025 is projected to cost between £150,000 and £200,000, with new legislation increasing that by an estimated 10–22%. These additional costs stem from a “fabric-first” approach, which prioritises high-performance insulation and airtightness before introducing low-carbon technologies. Heat pumps, now often mandatory, require superior insulation to operate efficiently, making them one of the most significant cost drivers under the new system. This shift reflects the government’s broader commitment to reducing carbon emissions and improving long-term energy performance, but it also places added financial pressure on developers and community projects alike.
New non-residential buildings with more than 10 parking spaces within the site boundary must have at least 1 EV charge point installed. Also, Cable routes for at least 7 additional spaces to enable future charge point installations. (Building Regulations Part S: Infrastructure for the Charging of Electric Vehicles). Every new residential building with associated parking within the site boundary must have an electric vehicle charge point installed.
The New Homes Quality Code (NHQC) isn’t a legal planning requirement yet, but developers who choose to register with the scheme are contractually bound to follow it. The code sets out a robust framework for build quality, customer service, and a formal complaints and redress process, including a two-year aftercare period. While voluntary, it introduces additional compliance responsibilities and potential liabilities for developers, and it is widely expected to become the industry norm by the end of 2025.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now a compulsory legal obligation, requiring at least a 10% increase in biodiversity. Developers must use the government-endorsed Statutory Biodiversity Metric to calculate this. To do so, they need to commission qualified ecologists—often at high cost—to assess the existing biodiversity value of the greenfield site. The richer the current habitat (even basic features like ditches or unmanaged scrub), the higher the baseline, and therefore the greater the uplift needed. Developers are also legally bound to maintain and protect the new or improved habitats for a minimum of 30 years. This long-term commitment brings decades of ongoing, unfunded expenses for upkeep, ecological monitoring, compliance reporting, and possible legal costs to meet the required targets.

There will also be extra labour costs due to the need for training, compliance and equipment. These changes are expected to be implemented without the provision of significant Government subsidies. The FHS will cover both residential and non-residential buildings, potentially adding tens of thousands of pounds to the budget for this development, Total Added Cost on new building regulations: £62,500–£122,000 just for the hall at its current size. This is before you factor in any supply chain issues and/or costs outlined above.

Additionally, a new levy (Building Safety Levy - BSL applies to new residential developments resulting in 10 or more dwellings) is a mandatory charge will be charged on all new dwellings (per square metre) in 2026 and will be collected by local authorities. This site will be subject to a 100% levy as its a greenfield site. Brownfield sites will be subject to a discounted rate of 50%. Sedgemoor (now part of Somerset Council) still uses the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which is based on location and floor area—not whether the site is greenfield or brownfield. The newer Building Safety Levy (BSL), due in 2026, does distinguish between land types, with greenfield sites paying the full rate and brownfield sites getting a discount. The Infrastructure Levy (IL), which may eventually replace CIL and Section 106, hasn’t been adopted locally just yet.

The land in question carries substantial upfront financial burdens, including a##half-million-pound bond required prior to the construction of the village hall, and is bound by a strict s106 agreement due to the not-insignificant issues with this flood-prone land and its location outside the village boundary.

This proposal eventually received outline planning consent despite##strong resistance from local residents who are determined to safeguard Bawdrip's countryside identity and rural village feel. ## Bawdrip Development,Somerset.

This site in Bawdrip presents as an unappealing investment opportunity due to the fact that there is other land available locally that does not come with the restrictions of an onerous s106 agreement, the issues associated with building on a floodplain and what are likely to be significant costs involved in complying with the local authority's requirements of the fully fitted village hall, associated car parking and children's play area, the costs of which are met entirely by the eventual developer of this land. There is also##fervent local opposition to this project which is likely to mean that obtaining full planning permission isn't simply a tick-box exercise and that any planning application will be subject to close scrutiny from residents (with about 60% formally objecting to the planning application) and no doubt, the new local regional and parish councillors.

But, with other local land parcels available under ##development orders, this site is a costly and risky investment. Flood mitigation, stringent development and community expectations, buffer zones because of foul sewer pipe works, water mains, new culverts, new pavements along Bradney Lane, a pressurized sewer main that runs under the site to the pumping station, and a new swale, and rising the land itself as per the FRA - make it even less appealing.

Flooding across the site.

The approximant site of plot 10

Kings Sedgemoor Drain is one side of the site.

The land has been a floodplain for centuries, flooding annually with standing water persisting for weeks.
Flood Zone 3: The land falls within Flood Zone 3, a high-risk area. While this zone is officially undivided on Environment Agency maps, it' actually comprises two sub-zones (3a and 3b), indicating varying degrees of risk. The Sequential Test requires development to be steered to sites with the lowest flood risk first.
Changing Flood Maps: Flood maps were updated in March 2025 in response to climate change, resulting in expanded floodplain boundaries. Late 2025 new Flood Zones plus climate change layer will show how Flood Zones 2 and 3 could expand over the next century due to climate change. In the Bawdrip area, this has already led to increased flood risk for nearby properties, including this site, which lies in a natural basin at the foot of a 100-metre hill and riverbank, and is very prone to waterlogging.
##Schedule 3 Legislation: Any planning application must comply with Schedule 3, mandating sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in new developments and raising land levels. This will add significantly to the development costs. So, building on Flood Zone 3 now requires mandatory PFR measures and that the strengthening of the Sequential Test makes the site a huge regulatory risk for any developer pursuing full consent.
1st April 2025, new flood reinsurance (amendment) regulations 2025. These are designed to promote the availability and affordability of home insurance in areas of high flood risk but no clear indication is given that public buildings are included so increasing costs for the##parish council in regards insurance. It means Insurance and resale risks will be more closely tied to flood classification and site history. Proposals are now being debated to mandate specific low-cost PFR measures in all new homes built on land at a higher risk of flooding (especially Zone 3a and 3b). * Examples: Raised electrical sockets, non-return valves on pipes, resilient wall plaster. So, Planning applications in flood zones will face tighter scrutiny, especially for residential and community buildings.

##Surrounding Water: As you can see from the images the plot is bordered by a major river and bordered on all side by diches, it retains rainfall, leading to waterlogged ground, topped ditches, and a high water table, with diches filling to road and field levels. This will create challenges for groundwork and site access, especially given the narrow, flood-prone lanes. In autumn 2025 the government has only allocated 60% of the funding requested by the Environment Agency for flood work in 2025, prompting the agency to announce its intention to permanently cease maintenance on a significant number of statutory main rivers.

##Recent Flooding in Bawdrip: The storms of 2024/2025 flooded the land and filled the surrounding ditches, reinforcing the recurring flood risk.

In short, this site is a challenging and##risky development prospect due to the severe and recurring flood risk. The outlook for residential development land is exceptionally poor, driven by a catastrophic collapse in demand that has pushed new home reservation rates to an all-time low. As confirmed by Savills in their recent analysis submitted to the##Treasury, the average sales rate for new homes has plummeted to just 0.3 reservations per week per outlet, a level below even the worst points of the 2008##Global Financial Crisis (GFC). This dramatic decline is the direct result of buyers being locked out of the market by suffocating mortgage interest rates and the complete withdrawal of the essential Help to Buy equity loan scheme. Since builders cannot risk a financially crippling stockpile of completed, unsold properties, they have been forced to deliberately halt construction and mothball projects, explaining why sites locally in##the area appear abandoned or paused. Considering the UK's overall stock of unsold##properties is currently at a 10-year high, investing in development##land now represents an extremely ill-advised risk of acquiring an unviable asset in an oversaturated market. ##UK Home Sales Lowest since Global Financial Crisis (Citing##Savills' figures for summer 2025)