Residents in Highbridge who are campaigning against controversial plans for 46 new homes next to Walrow say a road accident this week has raised fresh questions about the safety of the proposed development.
Previous plans for the new homes on the land north of Walrow were originally rejected by the Planning Inspectorate last October, as reported here following over 120 letters of objection.
But, as first reported here by Burnham-On-Sea.com, the applicant Flower & Hayes Ltd has updated their plans and submitted a new application for 46 homes at the site and the Town Council opposed the new plans at a meeting in January.
This week, on Wednesday evening, a white BMW had an accident on the road coming off the Walrow Railway bridge next to the site which has raised fresh safety questions.
Resident Joy Russell says: “The driver was traveling from Market Street over the bridge to Walrow and she lost control and crashed into the fence at the exact point where the access road to the proposed Walrow housing development is planned.”
“Several neighbours after hearing a loud bang went outside to see what had happened and the lady had driven off from the accident site, leaving her rear bumper and number plate at the scene.”
“The Police arrived shortly and a post went up on social media detailing the crash where the mother of the woman replied that her daughter was thankfully unhurt, but left the scene as she was in a state of shock.”
Joy adds: “The decision for the proposed housing development is imminent and with the Covid-19 restrictions the decision to approve or decline this application may be undertaken by the SDC Executive without a formal meeting.”
“There were so many official objections by the local community which stated how dangerous the road is at this point. The quote ‘an accident waiting to happen’ was repeated time and time again, yet Highways England and Somerset County Highways don’t seem to have a problem with it.”
“Objectors were surprised that this detail had not been red flagged in either planning application and it was queried at the time that they had made decisions with a computer model. Burnham and Highbridge Town Council stated the proposal has inadequate highways access through Walrow Road, with serious safety concerns regarding proximity of the bridge and the entrance to the site.”
“The bridge is poorly maintained and a weight restriction is in place. The council members felt it imperative that Highways did a site visit so they can fully investigate the inadequacies of the site access and volumes of traffic using the bridge.”
“Ironically when the locals set up a Community Speedwatch group to survey in Walrow the Police told them they couldn’t be positioned on the opposite side of the road on the grass verge by the car park next to Somerset Way, near the proposed access point, because it was too dangerous and visibility was poor. Instead, they worked from the far end of Walrow by the entrance to Orchard Close.”
“The first application to this development (11/18/ 00071) was refused last year and again at appeal but developers Flower & Hayes swiftly submitted a new application
(11/19/00128) 3 months after their application had failed with minor tweaks to the plans.”
The new plans includes market housing – three 2-bed houses, sixteen 3-bed houses, eight 4+ bed houses, five flats – and social housing for four 3-bed houses, four 4+ bed houses and six flats. There would be 121 parking spaces and 130 cycle spaces.
The applicant says in their new plans: “The purpose of this resubmission is to address the Appeal Inspector’s comments regarding the lack of outlook and potential visual intrusion to the ground floor of unit 13, and the lack of local distinctiveness to the character and appearance of the proposal as a whole.”
