Major plans to turn a boatyard site in Highbridge into a huge development of 85 new homes have been given the go-ahead this week.
Sedgemoor District Council has this week approved the controversial proposals for a mixture of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes at the site next to the River Brue, along with flood defence works.
The application for Outline Planning Permission applies to land to the west of 67 Clyce Road, which is currently used as a boat yard and storage area.
Town councillor Helen Groves, pictured below, who has voiced her concerns about the plans many times over the years, told Burnham-On-Sea.com this week that the scheme is not welcome.
“I feel the density of housing is too high and the town’s infrastructure won’t be able to support the extra homes – the impact will be felt on our overcrowded doctors surgeries, schools, roads and community resources,” she said.
“It’s not just this development that concerns me but the lack of strategic thinking for Highbridge for the future. Having new flood defences along the River Brue there as part of the development will not help the rest of Highbridge.”
“I’m also concerned that this is part of a much wider ‘ribbon’ development that links up with the nearby Delta Engineering site and the former Cattle Market site where development is already underway – hundreds of homes.”
This week’s approval comes after years of detailed talks on the 21 planning conditions that will be applied to the site’s owner.
Sedgemoor District Council Stuart Houlet previously said: “The site has been specifically identified in both the Local Plan and now the adopted Core Strategy which recognizes the wider benefits of the development of this site. Therefore, the principle of development is accepted. There are a number of clear benefits that will arise from the scheme which alongside other brownfield sites and the strategic urban extension at Brue Farm will provide an important opportunity for transformation of the town.”
