NO more new homes will need to be built in Cannington until 2032 under the village’s newly-approved neighbourhood plan.

The neighbourhood plan has been more than a decade in the making, during which time Cannington has been under increasing pressure from housing developers.

Residents voted in a referendum on the plan earlier this year with nearly 92 per cent supporting it on a less than 20 per cent turnout, and it has now been formally adopted by Somerset Council.

It can now be considered by the council when determining planning applications in the village.

Although it does not allocate any land for future development, it accepted small quantities of new homes would come forward as ‘windfall sites’.

Cannington Parish Council, which prepared the plan, argued the village had already met its minimum housing allocations under the Sedgemoor Local Plan.

Ninety-two new homes were built between 2015/16 and 2023/24, with planning permission given for another 15.

To meet the minimum housing target only 43 more homes would be needed by 2032, which the neighbourhood plan stated could be achieved without allocating any extra sites.

The plan states: “The Sedgemoor Local Plan does not seek to make any land allocations at Cannington, and proposes what is considered to be only a modest level of additional growth of approximately 11 dwellings per annum.

“There is continuing uncertainty about the likely long-term impact on the local housing market of the construction of Hinkley Point C.

“However, evidence seems to indicate more impact in the private rented sector than on demand for owner-occupied homes.”

Parish councils with neighbourhood plans can claim 25 per cent of community infrastructure levy paid by developers building outside development boundaries, rather than the standard 15 per cent.

The levy can be used to build new, or improve existing, public facilities needed for increased demand from more residents.