A FORMAL EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) Screening Opinion has been requested for plans to construct new buildings at the former Burrington Inn and Garden Centre site.

The plans, put forward by Yeo Valley Farms, would see the demolition of existing buildings followed by the construction and conversion of new ones. These would be designed for a wide range of leisure, retail and tourist uses.

There would be nine holiday lodges, ancillary staff accommodation, a visitor centre, a climbing centre, and a retail unit, which would include a farm shop and a cafe.

There would also be office accommodation and a replacement residential dwelling.

Pre-application plans for the site, located near Blagdon, were submitted in 2021. Following a series of engagement meetings, it was decided that there could be the potential need for an EIA.

Weston Mercury: Site location plan.Site location plan. (Image: North Somerset Council planning portal)

As stated on the application's cover letter, the following advice was given: "The proposal is likely to be within part 12 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (as amended) ie Tourism and Leisure (c) Holiday Villages and complexes outside urban areas and associated developments, greater than 0.5 hectares.

"AONB’s are ‘Sensitive Areas’ as defined in the Regulations and on this basis screening for EIA will be required to be undertaken."

The cover letter reads: "The site is located on the east side of B3134 The Combe, some 400m south west from the village of Burrington. It sits on the northern edge of the Mendip Hills and is centred on National Grid Reference ST 47658 58982.

"It fronts The Coombe and also Ham Link on its northern side. In the wider context, the site is within a rural context and beginning of Burrington Combe, a Carboniferous Limestone gorge on the north side of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in North Somerset.

"The 2.07ha site comprises several buildings, distinct planning units and fields. The principal building is the former Burrington, an extended two storey public house and restaurant with two function rooms.

"To the north are buildings associated with a former garden centre, now used for self-storage and Badass Bikes Ltd, a retail shop and servicing centre.

"There are residential units on the first floor of the Inn and within a building adjacent to the retail unit, known as The Cottage. Access is via several entrances off The Coombe and within the site is extensive car parking.

"There is a mix of landscaping comprises grassed areas, shrubs and some mature trees."