A PLANNING application looking to build five houses in Combe St Nicholas has been approved this week.

The application was submitted for the site on Ham Farm, northwest of Chard and will allow the conversion of one of the buildings into a house and the erection of an additional four detached houses.

A planning document read: “The application site relates to Ham Farm which is situated to the southern side of the minor road linking Priddles Lane with Raisey Lane, taken from the A303(T) Andover – Exeter half a mile to the north.

“Located approximately four and a half miles northwest of Chard, the site occupies an isolated and elevated position within open countryside and sits just outside of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape.

“Ham Farm comprises a mix of traditional and contemporary, portal-framed buildings that sit on the southern side of the road, opposite the Farmhouse which is situated on the northern side.

“The site benefits from a determination that Somerset Council's - the Local Planning Authority (LPA) prior approval is not required for the change of use of some of the agricultural buildings to form 5no. dwellings (23/00346/PAMB) as well as for the demolition of one building (23/00348/PAMB).”

This is the proposal as explained in the same planning document: “The application seeks planning permission for the conversion of an existing building to form 1no. dwelling as well as the erection of an additional 4no. detached dwellings.

“Access to the site would be taken from the minor road to the south of Ham Farmhouse and to the immediate west of Plot 1 (the building to be retained/converted as part of the proposal).”

A planning document also stated that “the proposal is considered to have no adverse impact on the character of the surrounding area and would cause no demonstrable harm to residential amenity, highway safety, biodiversity or impact on the Somerset Levels and Moors catchment area”.