- Allocated within the Adopted South Somerset Local Plan (2006) for Employment Purposes
- Proposal for up to 600,000 sq. ft. of B1 employment floorspace set within 40 acres of landscaped parkland
- Planning application submitted 16th November 2006
Key Principles
Abbey Manor's plans for Bunford Park have evolved following extensive consultation involving the key local stakeholders, including South Somerset District Council (SSDC), local parish councils, special interest groups, local residents and feedback received from local businesses and prospective occupiers.
The origin of Bunford Park can be traced back through extensive written and verbal representations to the then emerging Yeovil Local Plan. These representations culminated in a local plan inquiry which heard arguments both for and against proposals for a business park on this site. Following extensive public debate, the government inspector resolved that some 40 acres of land should be identified for B1 Employment Uses. SSDC subsequently allocated 40 acres of land for employment development to provide a high quality business park for uses within B1 of the Use Classes Order. These steps established the planning principle of Bunford Park.
During the summer of 2007 Abbey Manor embarked on further public consultation work involving meetings with all interested parties to present and review emerging draft masterplan proposals. This included a public exhibition. The emerging Bunford Park project masterplan went through various design iterations in this pre-application period in a direct response to feedback received from the local planning authority, special interest groups and local residents. This exercise culminated in the submission of an outline planing application in November 2007. The outline planning application can be viewed on the SSDC website.
This extensive design concept development process undertaken in partnership with SSDC is a development/planning brief in all but name. The process is set out in detail in the Statement of Pre-application Community Engagement and the Design & Access Statement which forms part of the formal planning application submission.
Post application, the masterplan proposals have continued to evolve as Abbey Manor has responded to statutory consultee responses.
A number of post-application presentations to local Parish councils, local residents and special interest groups have also taken place.
The project has been well reported in both the local press and the national property trade press. On-site marketing boards and the regularly updated project website have further enhanced public awareness of this landmark project.