Mendip left out of council home plans

By Laura Linham 27th Apr 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 27th Apr 2026

A Glastonbury councillor has warned that the former Mendip area is being left behind in Somerset's council housing plans.

Councillor Ewan Cameron spoke out after Somerset Council revealed plans to deliver up to 580 new council homes across the county by April 2030.

But none of the proposed schemes are currently listed for the former Mendip district.

That means Glastonbury, Street, Wells, Shepton Mallet and Frome are not in line for new council-built homes under the strategy as it stands.

Cllr Cameron, Liberal Democrat member for Glastonbury, raised the issue at Somerset Council's adults and health scrutiny committee in Bridgwater on Wednesday, 9 April.

He said: "The east of the county only has three developments, which account for 27 new council houses – 95 per cent of the investment is going into the west of the county. How did we arrive at this distribution?"

Across Mendip towns, many younger residents and families face high rents, rising house prices and limited affordable options close to where they live, work and have support networks.

Somerset Council's strategy includes schemes in places including Minehead, Bridgwater, Taunton, Cannington, Nether Stowey and Charlton Adam.

Some homes have already been completed or are nearly ready for tenants.

But the lack of a named Mendip scheme prompted Cllr Cameron to ask why the east of Somerset was receiving such a small share.

Councillor Sarah Wakefield, Somerset Council's portfolio holder for adults' services, housing and homelessness, said the gap was linked to historic decisions made before the creation of the unitary council.

She said former Mendip District Council and South Somerset District Council had sold off their council housing stock after right-to-buy reforms.

Ms Wakefield said: "You have got affordable houses in the east and south of the county, but they are owned by registered housing providers, not by the council.

"Now with Homes in Somerset, we will start to build across the county. We haven't been able to do that before."

Somerset Council is responsible for around 10,000 council homes.

Around 6,000 are managed directly by the council, with about 4,000 managed by Homes in Somerset, an arm's-length organisation owned by the authority.