Plans for hundreds of new homes in the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area have been unveiled in a new council document published this week.
Sedgemoor District Council has unveiled its draft Local Plan, which identifies potential new housing sites in the area for the next 15 years, pictured here.
In the Burnham area, the council has highlighted two ‘green field’ development sites. 400 new homes could be built on fields to the south of Brue Farm between Highbridge and West Huntspill, and 270 new homes could be built on land to the east of Isleport Lane, besides the motorway.
The plan – which is now out for consultation – sets out ambitious growth targets to meet housing and employment provision across Sedgemoor up to the year 2032 and is is based on a range of technical evidence.
“The key critical issues the Local Plan seeks to address for Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are ensuring the relative roles of the town are strengthened whether that be as a significant tourist destination, service centre or local centre; improving the towns’ self-containment and reducing the need to travel; promoting regeneration that contributes to the priorities of the area; ensuring development delivers essential infrastructure; and taking into account the environmental sensitivities of the area, including national and international nature conservation designations and high flood risk,” says a council spokesman.
Local residents are being encouraged to have their say on the proposals and Sedgemoor District Council has organised several local drop-in events, as well as having the document online here.
The drop-in events are being held locally on February 6th at the Community Hall in Highbridge from 2pm-7pm; February 8th at Burnham’s Princess Theatre from 3pm-7pm; February 15th at the Village Hall in Wedmore from 3pm-7pm; and February 27th at the Church Room in Puriton from 3pm-7pm.
“The Plan sets out where new housing and employment provision will be built over the coming years, so it is really important that people come along and talk to staff from Sedgemoor’s Planning Policy Team or make their views known on the proposals online.
“Any new growth is always a contentious issue, that is why the next stage in the process is when all objections to the plan will be considered by an independent inspector at a public examination, likely to take place later this year,” added the spokesperson.
Documents are also available to inspect at the Council offices at Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, TA6 3AR Monday to Friday – 9.00am to 5.00pm, and at public libraries in the district during normal opening hours.
The Plan builds upon the previous consultations undertaken during 2015 and 2016 and detailed sustainability appraisal work.
“The plan includes an overall strategy for distributing growth amongst the districts’ towns and villages detailed allocations for houses and employment at the larger settlements, an approach for delivering comprehensive infrastructure, and detailed policies that will be used when looking at planning applications.”
“The strategy seeks to strike a balance between promoting brownfield sites, reducing the extent of development within areas of long term flood risk, reducing people’s need to travel and protecting the natural environment whilst still ensuring there is a supply of sites that can be developed and provide much needed new homes and jobs.
“Policies in the plan will ensure that much needed affordable housing will be delivered alongside other essential infrastructure. The plan also provides for new opportunities for small scale growth in the smaller rural villages to meet local needs as well as setting out new policy support for self-build or self-commissioned housing further providing help and support for people wishing to build their own home.”
Further details on how to do this can be found on the Council’s web site at www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/LocalPlan.
