The Parish Council are delighted to announce that the funding is now in place to deliver the 16 affordable houses originally promised at the Cricketer development. We are very grateful to Duncan Harvey and his team at Housing Development at Sedgemoor District Council who secured grants from Homes England and Hinkley Point C in order to buy the houses and ensure the village gets the affordable housing it needs.  We also recognise Strongvox Home’s contribution in keeping the houses available at a price that made it viable for Sedgemoor to buy them.

Local people with a housing need, and who have the strongest connection with Nether Stowey, will be given the highest priority for the new homes.

Sedgemoor District Council will own these properties and they will be available on a rental basis through Homefinder Somerset. Register with Homefinder Somerset as soon as possible. Find out more at Affordable Homes Coming to Nether Stowey – What To Do Next below. The 16 houses are made up as follows:

• 6 x 2-bedroom Flats,
• 6 x 2-bedroom houses,
• 3 x 3-bedroom houses and
• 1 x 3-bedroom house suitable (wide)

it is expected that the first four affordable homes will be ready for occupation in July this year, with six more coming in October, and the remaining six in October 2024. Information on which homes will be available at each stage is to be confirmed soon.

More information will be available on the notice boards, this website and on social media. Keep checking for updates!

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What To Do Next

by Duncan Harvey, Service Manager (Housing Development, Sedgemoor DC)

As you may know, the 16 affordable homes promised on the Cricketer development are now going ahead, purchased by Sedgemoor District Council.

Construction of the attractive new homes on the site continues to progress well. Whilst still subject to change, it is expected that the first four affordable homes will be ready for occupation in July this year, with six more coming in October, and the remaining six in October 2024. This would mean that anyone wanting one of the first homes would need to be ready to bid in May this year.

On offer –

• 6 x 2-bedroom Flats,
• 6 x 2-bedroom houses,
• 3 x 3-bedroom houses and
• 1 x 3-bedroom house (wide).

Sedgemoor District Council will own these properties and will be available to rent.

Local people with a housing need, and who have the strongest connection with Nether Stowey, will be given the highest priority for the new homes.

The next steps, if you are after one of these affordable homes

Step 1: You must be registered on the Homefinder Somerset system. You can do this online at www.homefindersomerset.co.uk. Help is available for those who cannot register online. You are advised to do this as soon as possible, as it can take two months to complete the assessment process. Once registered:

Step 2: You must make sure your information is up to date and crucially, make sure your application confirms what local connection you have with Nether Stowey. This is very important.

Step 3: From about May onwards (timing to be confirmed and will be advertised locally), you must regularly login into this system to check when you can bid for one of these homes. The advert will make it clear that priority for the new homes goes to applicants with a connection with the parish of Nether Stowey.

Step 4: You must bid for one of these properties (when advertised) to be considered.

Key Messages

If you are not registered, you cannot bid. You will not be considered for one of these homes, if you do not bid.

You can find out more about the allocation system at www.homefindersomerset.co.uk.

The Parish Office will also have information shortly. We will advertise further details and events to help possible applicants on the Parish notice boards at The Cross, the Parish Office window and at Harry Prowse Close. We hope local shops and other outlets will  be willing to help. We will also post information on this website and on Facebook and Nextdoor – please check frequently for updates.

The meeting will be held at the Church Centre and will start at 7pm. Everyone is welcome. There is a public session at the beginning of the meeting when members of the public are welcome to address the Council on any matter relating to the agenda or on any other matter that they would like the Parish Council to consider at a future date. It is helpful if you inform the Chairman or the Clerk beforehand of any matter you wish to raise, so that the Clerk can have to hand any necessary information.

The agenda is available here

Draft minutes: Minutes from the most recent meeting(s) are posted here : Draft Minutes from the meeting on 9 January are here. Draft Planning Committee minutes are here.
Minutes for previous Parish Council meeting are here: Previous minutes

Planning applications: Links to planning applications on the agenda are below (opens the  application in the Sedgemoor Planning website):

• 36/23/00027 – The Old House, St Mary Street, Nether Stowey – Certificate of lawfulness for the proposed mixed use of existing dwelling to include 2no. holiday apartments and 2no. bedrooms used for bed and breakfast.
• 36/23/00002 : Stowey Court, Cannington Road, Nether Stowey
  36/23/00003 : Stowey Court, Cannington Road, Nether Stowey
  Erection of detached stables (revised scheme). Please note that Sedgemoor DC have advised that the proposal does not include a tennis court as previously stated.

Consultations:

• Diversion of Public Footpaths BW22/19 and BW 22/21.
  Link to information here
• Somerset Council Statement of Community Involvement on Planning. Link to consultation on Somerset.gov.uk. There is also a short YouTube video that aims to explain the consultation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n42IBJ5ny90 . 

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Parish Council meetings are open for the public to attend but are not public meetings. In order to facilitate contributions by members of the public there is a public session at the beginning of the formal meeting. 
During the public session, members of the public are welcome to address the Council on any matter relating to the agenda or on any other matter that they would like the Parish Council to consider at a future date. It is helpful if you inform the Chairman or the Clerk beforehand of any matter you wish to raise. This is so that the Clerk can have to hand any necessary information. Further details are available on page 2 of the agenda. The Council is not required to give a response to a matter raised during the public session but may do so. Alternatively, the Chairman may direct the Clerk to follow the matter up or give a written response at a later date. Please note that no decisions can be made and no expenditure approved on any item raised during the public session unless the matter has been legally notified on the agenda in advance.

At the end of the public participation session, the Chairman will resume the formal meeting under standing orders. Members of the public are asked to respect the fact that this is a meeting of the Council to conduct Council business. They are not permitted to enter into the debate of agenda items unless invited to do so by the Chairman. In this case, he will temporarily adjourn the meeting to allow that person (only) to speak.

The conduct of Parish Council meetings are governed by the Code of Conduct (adopted 16 May 2022) and the Parish Council’s Standing Orders (reviewed and re-adopted on 16 May 2022). These are available from the Clerk (collect from the office or by e-mail on request) or on the Council’s website by clicking the document name above.

Order to divert the above public footpaths as shown on the map below.
Representations or objections can be sent Sedgemoor District Council as shown on the Order notice, or by e-mail to laurie.page@sedgemoor.gov.uk by 1 March.

The full documents are available here:

• Notice of Public Path Order
• Sealed Order