NINE new homes are set to be built on the former Somerset Bridge Primary School site off Hamp Bridge.

The former school, which closed in 2010, had lain derelict for eight years and will be demolished.

On Tuesday, December 18, Sedgemoor District Council's development committee approved plans from developers Lyndon Homes to build nine homes on the site.

A spokesman for Lyndon Homes said: "This planning application provides an exciting and vibrant opportunity to bring the site into active residential use to help address local needs of the community in a sensitive and well-designed manner.

"The design proposals will cause no harm to the existing amenities of the area or prejudice highway safety. Traffic movement will be substantially reduced from the current lawful use."

However the application was not without its detractors, with Bridgwater Town Council, ward member Cllr Bill Revans and Somerset Waste Partnership all objecting to the development.

In its objection, Bridgwater Town Council stated: "The town council has major concerns about this application. We regret the loss of the traditional school building but have particular concern about the traffic generation from another nine units."

Bridgwater Town Council said the access road via Hamp Bridge was inadequate and said the junction onto the A38 Taunton Road was unsatisfactory.

Cllr Bill Revans said he felt this was 'overdevelopment' of the site, and was also concerned for road safety and safety of cyclists at the junction onto Taunton Road.

Meanwhile Somerset Waste Partnership was concerned about the difficulty of collecting waste from the new homes.

"Our waste contractor already struggles to collect from the existing properties on this track due to very narrow access, no turning area and a long and dangerous reverse out if approaching cars are blocking the track.

"I would be against this proposal of even more properties on this track, due to extremely poor access which could create a serious health and safety issue."

Hamp Bridge is a private road and has therefore not been adopted by Somerset County Council to maintain.