Concerned town councillors have this week warned that hundreds of homes being built in Highbridge are leaving the town at a ‘tipping point’.
The comments came as 169 new homes are set to be built on land near Springfield Road and a further 45 homes are earmarked for land north of Worston Lane.
Dozens more homes and flats are also being planned for other parts of the town, including the old radio station site near Pepperal Road, but councillors say the area may not be able to sustain such rapid growth.
“There’s no clear direction on development in Highbridge,” warned Cllr Neville Jones at a meeting on Monday night (December 4th).
“There has been no proper plan in place since 1992 and that’s now out of date. With many hundreds of homes being panned, there’s an urgent need for the town council and Sedgemoor to get together to discuss the future of Highbridge.”
“The number of new houses and flats being built is tremendous and should be a cause of great concern for us all. We are at a tipping point where it’s urgent that we look at how Highbridge will develop.”
Town planning chairman Cllr Peter Clayton agreed, saying there had also been “inconsistencies” in how various planning applications were being treated by Sedgemoor.
Cllr Morgan questioned whether a document from the South West Regional Spatial Strategy indicated no further houses should be built in the town without more commercial development bringing jobs to the area, alongside more schools and other public services.
“We run the risk of becoming a commuter town with no-one about during the day,” he said.
Cllr Chris Williams added that drainage capacity in Highbridge is of “great concern” as no provision has been made for so many additional homes.
A follow-up meeting between town councillors and Sedgemoor District Council is to be held during the next few weeks.
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