North Somerset News
The latest North Somerset news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Becket Road, Worle: 153 Homes Evacuated After Fraud Arrest
153 properties around Becket Road in Worle were evacuated after police found suspicious items in a fraud arrest. Bomb disposal destroyed them; the cordon stays.
More stories
Food hygiene
North Somerset Food Hygiene Ratings: 2 Zeros, 101 Fives
Two North Somerset food businesses were rated zero and 11 rated 1 since July, while 101 got top marks. Every low rating named, with the date and address.
Worle
Worle High Street Works Start 5 October, Two Roads One-Way
Worle High Street works run from Monday 5 October to spring 2027. The Scaurs and Ebdon Road go one-way that day, and a 20mph limit is on the way.
Weston-super-Mare
Street View Arts Launches in Weston, Live on Wave Radio
Blessings in Action CIC has launched Street View Arts, live on Wave Community Radio, bringing people who have been homeless together with the wider community.
Portishead
Portishead Missing Teenager: Body Found in Police Search
Police searching for George, 18, missing from Portishead since 17 September, say a body was recovered from water near Newport on Sunday 27 September.
North Somerset
North Somerset Planning: Call-In Powers End on 31 October
From 31 October your councillor can no longer call a planning application in to committee in North Somerset. Councillors vote on the new rules on Wednesday.
North Somerset
North Somerset Parks Handed to Town Councils: Full List
Lake Grounds, Grove Park and 21 named play areas are lined up to leave North Somerset Council for town and parish councils. Every site, town by town.
North Somerset
North Somerset House Prices Dip to £313,638 as Growth Halves
The average fell £1,362 in July to £313,638, the first monthly drop since February, and annual growth halved from 7.6% to 3.8%. Flats are still below 2023.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston CIC Is a Double Female Business Awards Finalist
Blessings in Action CIC is a finalist in two Female Business Awards categories, and seeks Weston adults for free Street View Arts workshops and a museum show.
Council
North Somerset Council Budget Gap Doubles to £12m Next Year
North Somerset Council now faces a £12.1m gap next year, up from £5.5m in February, and forecasts an £8.7m overspend this year. Cabinet meets Wednesday.
Hutton and Locking
Hutton and Locking By-Election Result: Reform UK Wins Seat
Reform UK won Hutton and Locking with 706 votes on 26.31% turnout. The Conservative vote in the ward fell from 834 in 2023 to 281, and the Lib Dems came second.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston Beach Dog Ban Still Undecided After Cabinet Vote
Cabinet agreed the dog and PSPO review as proposed on 16 September. Six dog rules in Bleadon and Winford go; Weston's beach ban waits on one councillor.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston Recycling Centre: £2.5m Vote Tonight on £56m Plan
Councillors vote at 6pm tonight on £2.5m to design a new Weston recycling centre and depot, part of a £56m scheme. The current depot lease ends July 2028.
Weston-super-Mare
Birnbeck Pier: Free Talks from 15 September, 45 Seats
Five free Birnbeck Pier events run from 15 to 20 September in Weston, with only 45 seats at each museum talk. A giant cardboard pier follows on 26 September.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston charity's four tonnes of aid bound for Nepal floods
Shiva Charity UK, registered in Weston-super-Mare on an income of £13,910 last year, has put 200 boxes of aid on an airlift to Kathmandu after the floods.
Yatton
Wakedean Gardens Repairs: Council Decides 8 September
North Somerset says the Yatton road is now a risk to its bin crews. The 8 September decision starts a process that can bill homeowners for the repairs.
North Somerset
North Somerset Bus Boardings Hit 704,453 in July
Bus boardings in North Somerset reached 704,453 in July, the best month since April 2023 and more than 32% up on July 2023. The longer DfT trend is less rosy.
Winscombe
Winscombe Children's Home Approved Despite 60 Objections
Planning committee approved Strawberry House in Winscombe on 23 September, for up to three children. It opens in early 2027; Weston's Haven House in November.
Weston-super-Mare
Grove Park cafe reopens in Weston on a 15-year lease
Busy Lizzies has a 15-year lease on the Grove Park cafe in Weston-super-Mare and is paying for the fit-out. The park's toilets reopened after a 20-month gap.
Weston-super-Mare
North Somerset library hours change 7 Sept, Worle closes
Worle Library's last day is Saturday 5 September. Every other council-run library in North Somerset gets new opening hours from Monday 7 September. Here is what changes at each one.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston Community Arboretum accredited: 59 trees on a map
Weston-super-Mare's 59 most notable trees have been accredited as an arboretum by ArbNet. What the Level I standard actually requires, and which trees are on the list.
House prices
North Somerset House Prices Rise 7.5%, Fastest in South West
The average home hit £314,628 in June, up £21,819 in a year, while neighbouring Bath and North East Somerset fell. Only 24 English districts rose faster.
Long Ashton
Long Ashton Flower Show: the 100th, 5 September 2026
The 100th Long Ashton Flower Show ran on 5 September 2026 and the 2027 date is now set: Saturday 4 September. No results or trophy winners published yet.
Weston-super-Mare
North Somerset claimant count: 3,235, up 95 on last July
July's figure is 3,235 people, 2.5% of working-age residents. Under-25s account for the whole year's rise, and Weston Central's rate is seven times Backwell's.
Planning
North Somerset Local Plan: hearings start 9 November
Four weeks of hearings from 9 November settle where 23,700 homes go. The council built 794 last year against a need of 1,580 and holds 5.05 years of land.
Weston-super-Mare
Birnbeck Pier: £44m secured, reopening set for summer 2027
North Somerset Council has secured over £44m and says the pier is on track to reopen in summer 2027. The deck is being rebuilt now and one operator will run it.
Business
Portishead construction firm faces HMRC winding-up petition
HMRC has asked the High Court to wind up J Quick Construction Ltd of Bunting Lane; the petition is heard on 19 August. What the public record shows.
Clevedon
Clevedon town centre works run to late 2026: what changes
Old Street's bus stop moves, a new crossing and loading bay go in, and from 30 August the X10 serves upper Clevedon. Works at The Triangle run to late 2026.