Frequently Asked Questions

Operating for over two decades, Waddeton Park Ltd. is a highly experienced land promoter who has secured permission for over 3,000 new homes on sites across the south west. We work closely with landowners, local authorities, stakeholders, and local people to secure planning permissions that will deliver much needed housing. At the heart of our approach is delivering planning consent for high quality, sustainable developments which bring benefits to the wider community.

The site is located at the north west edge of Timsbury village, to the south of Hayeswood Road. To the east the site is bounded by The Avenue, and to the south east by neighbouring properties on Somerset Folly. The western edge of the site is densely lined with trees, with Priors Hill beyond that.

There is currently a significant need for new homes nationally, as well as more locally across Bath & North East Somerset. In December 2024 the revised National Planning Policy Framework was updated and the number of new homes which will need to be delivered by the Council has more than doubled from 717 net additional homes to 1,466 net additional homes per year. The Land off Hayeswood Road presents an opportunity to help meet part of this uplift by delivering up to 170 much-needed new homes, 40% of which would be provided as affordable housing, on a site which is sustainably located and is not subject to any planning restrictions.

In addition to helping meet the real need for new homes locally, increasing opportunities for home ownership and bringing new residents to the village would also help to maintain the overall sustainability of shops, services, and other amenities in Timsbury. The proposed site represents a natural extension of Timsbury and would be well integrated with the existing built form of the village.

Our emerging plans, which were discussed with immediate neighbours of the site as well as local stakeholders earlier in the year included up to 120 much needed homes, 40% of which would be affordable. Taking on board the initial feedback received from residents and stakeholders, as well as comments provided as part of our detailed pre-application discussions with the Council, we have made a series of design changes which means that the maximum number of homes which would now be delivered on site would be 170. We are still proposing to deliver 40% of the homes as affordable. This reflects the key principles of the Council’s emerging Local Plan, which has recently concluded its consultation, and includes maximising the delivery of housing that is more affordable, creating a fairer more prosperous and sustainable economy, and addressing the climate and ecological emergencies.

By increasing the number of homes on the site our proposals are able to better reflect the density of existing properties across Timsbury, and ensure that the site is utilised efficiently, whilst still providing a significant quantum of accessible green open space, planting and landscaping.

The site, which sits to the south of Hayeswood Road, sits outside of the Green Belt. The south western part of the site falls within the ‘Landscape setting of settlements’ (Policy NE2A) designation, which confirms that such areas make an important contribution to the landscape setting of Timsbury. However, this policy does not preclude development that is sensitive to the designation. Indeed, the development proposals include a large amount of open parkland within the site in this area.

We are looking to bring forward an Outline planning application for up to 170 new homes, including 40% affordable homes and a diverse mix of property sizes. Our plans would also deliver a significant amount of publicly accessible open space alongside a large area of parkland planting as well as play space and footpaths to provide connectivity within the site and to existing amenities in Timsbury.

Key design changes to the proposals include extension of the development area towards the north west, southern and south western boundaries of the site, as well as closing the green gap between the two development areas. Further changes include strengthening of planting along the site’s eastern and southern boundary, providing a dark corridor for bat habitat and foraging.

An Outline planning application seeks to establish the principle of development on the site. Our application will include the total number of homes which could be delivered on the site, including the maximum heigh of the buildings, as well as identifying where development, landscaping and open space areas would be located on the site. Our application will also seek to establish the access points to the site. Other details, such as the exact number or new homes, where they will be located, and what they will look like, will come forward in future Reserved Matters planning applications, should our plans receive permission from Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council.

The development will comprise 40% affordable housing, in line with B&NES Council policy. This means that there is the potential for this development to deliver up to 68 new affordable homes, helping to make a real contribution to alleviating pressure on the Council’s housing waiting list whilst also creating opportunities for young people and families to get on the housing ladder.

Additional details about the build specifications of the new homes will come forward as part of future Reserved Matters planning applications (for further details see the response to question 4 above). This will include details on how the homes will be heated and generate hot water, as well as any renewable energy generation measures proposed to be delivered. However, at this stage, it is expected that EV charging points will be delivered for the new homes, in line with Council policy.

The development would not only address the growing demand for housing but also has the potential to positively impact the local economy. Attracting new residents to the area will help to support existing local services and amenities through increased economic activity, thus supporting local services and creating job opportunities.

Moreover, our development would also create opportunities to improve connectivity, enabling people to travel without necessarily relying on their car. We are proposing a number of sustainable travel improvements which could be delivered as part of the development, and would welcome the views of the community on our plans.

Should our Outline planning application be granted permission subsequent Reserved Matters Planning applications would need to be submitted to B&NES Council. These Reserved Matters applications would include the exact number of homes to be delivered on the site, as well as information relating to plot locations and design. There would be further consultation with the local community and stakeholders prior to these applications being submitted, ensuring that residents were able to view and comment on the design of the new homes.

Timsbury currently benefits from a wide range of services and amenities, including a library, two convenience shops, a primary school, GP practice, pharmacy, a pub, a church, and two community centres/halls. Delivering new homes on the site would help to secure the long term viability of a number of these services and amenities through increased footfall and spend locally.

Once our planning application is submitted, and if approval is granted, additional financial contributions would also be made via the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to support the Council in delivering infrastructure projects locally and across the district more widely.

We are currently proposing that the primary access for the site will be off The Avenue, which is currently subject to a 20mph speed restriction.

We recognise that there will likely be concern about the traffic impact which up to 170 new homes might have on the local road network. As part of our application we will be preparing a comprehensive Transport Assessment which will look at the number of trips which would be by the development and the impact that this would have on the local highways network. The proposals will also include a Framework Travel Plan which will encourage and enable sustainable travel to and from the development, with the aim of reducing single occupancy car trips.

Ensuring that potential future residents are able to access local facilities, jobs, see friends and family, and go about daily life without needing to rely on their car to do so has been a key consideration in developing the proposals for the land off Hayeswood Road. Importantly, the site benefits from being in a sustainable location, being in close proximity to a wide range of local facilities.

The site is also only a short distance (approximately 300m) to nearby bus stops which, via the 522 service, to Bristol via Keynsham and to Bath via Paulton and Midsomer Norton. Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads Railway stations can be accessed via the 522 service, providing links across the south west and a wide variety of other UK towns and cities.

As part of the proposals, we are proposing to improve access from the site for pedestrians to the local primary school, as well as services and amenities elsewhere in Timsbury, and for those wishing to use public transport. We are keen to hear the views of the local community on this and would encourage feedback on what transport/travel improvements we could include in our proposals to benefit potential future residents, as well as Timsbury more widely.

As part of the suite of surveys and reports undertaken in support of a planning application, a heritage study has been compiled which has assessed the likelihood of there being any archaeological interest on the site.

The proposals will deliver at least a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain, in accordance with the provisions of the Environment Act (2021). Biodiversity enhancements will include an extensive tree and hedgerow planting scheme across the site, including an area of parkland planting across the south of the site, which will contain a mixture of trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflower seeding to maximise the habitats on site.

We are keen to ensure that the proposals align with B&NES Council’s aspirations to support biodiversity and tackle the ecological emergency. As such, we have already conducted ecological surveys and assessments and used the findings of these to inform our design. These assessments have confirmed that there are no designated sites for nature conservation within or next to the site.

Our initial surveys have indicated that the site has moderate quality habitats for bats as well as offering foraging habitat and moderately suitable habitat for badger setts along the western boundary. No evidence of hedgehogs, dormice, or reptiles was found during our initial assessment work.

We are proposing an extensive area of parkland and significant additional tree and hedgerow planting, which will help improve the habitat and foraging opportunities for species around the site. Additional enhancement measures will ensure that the proposals will be able to deliver above the 10% biodiversity improvement required by planning policy.

The Environment Agency flood map for planning indicates the site is located within Flood Zone 1 and it is therefore at low risk of flooding.

Our drainage consultants will be preparing a strategy for dealing with foul and surface water from the site. Prior to submitting an application, we will be discussing the capacity of the local sewer network and aim to agree a point of connection with Wessex Water. As part of our wider strategy for dealing with surface water run off, we are considering a variety of measures, including rainwater reuse as well as infiltration. We will also look to provide a series of wetlands within the development which would capture and store surface water before releasing this into the nearest public surface water sewer in North Road.

We originally reached out to immediate neighbours of the site, as well as local stakeholders, in early 2025 to discuss our early plans for the site and understand initial views and feedback. Following on from this process we are now holding a wider public consultation on our draft proposals, and have sent newsletters to residents near to the site, as well as published our project dedicated website. The consultation will enable interested parties to view planning documents, including plans, maps, and reports. Residents, stakeholders and other interested parties will be able to ask questions, request additional information and provide their feedback ahead of the submission of a planning application.

In accordance with the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990), the application will be submitted to Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council as the Local Planning Authority. The application will then be reviewed by planning and technical officers at the Council as well as a number of external consultees. Immediate neighbours and the wider Timsbury community will have another opportunity to have their say on the proposals during the Council’s statutory consultation on the application. It is then anticipated that B&NES Council’s Development Management Committee will decide whether the proposals are granted planning consent.

We are hopeful for a decision from B&NES Council by mid-2026.

Waddeton Park Ltd. is committed to holding an accessible and transparent consultation to inform local residents and understand their views. You can get in touch to ask questions, request additional information, or provide your feedback in a number of ways. You can:

• Email us at [email protected]
• Call our Freephone number, 0800 699 0081 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, excluding public holidays) and leave your details via a message. A member of the team will then call you back.
• Write to us at FREEPOST TC CONSULTATION (no further address or stamp required)