PLANS to build 18 houses and a 70-bed care home near a former Somerset wedding venue have been thrown out by council planning officers.
The grade two listed Woodlands Castle lies on Ruishton Lane in Ruishton, a stone’s throw from the Taunton Gateway park and ride facility and junction 25 of the M5.
Plymouth-based developer Belstone Fox applied in May 2024 to build a new care home within the grounds, along with 18 new properties and converting the venue itself into a residential property.
But Somerset Council has now refused planning permission for the scheme, reasoning that it will damage the character of both the listed building and the wider village.
This comes shortly after the council lost an appeal by Taylor Wimpey to build 150 new homes on the Brookfield Nursery site on the other side of Ruishton Lane.
Woodlands Castle, which can trace its roots back to the 17th century, previously served as a wedding venue and conference centre before closing its doors in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
The building was infamously used as a cannabis farm in 2021 and has suffered “significant damage” and vandalism – with the developer warning that temporary repairs which were recently carried out “will begin to fail in the near-future.”
Under the plans, the property itself would have been converted into a residential dwelling, with 16 further homes being constructed throughout the grounds in three clusters.
The care home would have been delivered at the entrance to the site, north of the existing access from Ruishton Lane.
A spokesman from Harris Irwin Architects (representing the applicant) said: “This scheme provides a pathway for the renovation of Woodlands Castle, preserving the listed building for future generations.
“The creation of 70 high-quality care and dementia bedrooms will count towards the local authority’s targets. Residents who take up these bedrooms are likely to leave much larger homes within the local area, freeing up multi-bedroom apartments and houses for local families.
“This purpose-built accommodation is much better suited to the well-being and continuing care of residents who require care, improving their quality of life.
“The design of the proposal has been carefully considered to improve the local setting.”
The plans were refused by the council’s planning officers through their delegated powers, rather than a public decision by its planning committee west (which handles major applications within the former Somerset West and Taunton area).
Chief planning officer Alison Blom-Cooper cited three reasons for refusing permission – namely:
- The new homes would “be harmful to the significance of the listed building”, contravening both the Taunton Deane Core Strategy and the recently-adopted Ruishton and Thornfalcon Neighbourhood Plan
- The design and scale of the care home would be “out of keeping with the character of the area”
- The development represents “an undesirable extension of the village of Ruishton”, causing the settlement to merge further with the Taunton Gateway area
Belstone Fox has not indicated whether it intends to appeal the council’s decision.