A public consultation evening is to be held tonight (Thursday July 5th) by the firm behind controversial plans to build 130 homes on land next to the current Lakeside housing development in Highbridge.
Tonight’s meeting will take place from 7pm-8.30pm at the Town Council Chambers in Jaycroft Road, Burnham-On-Sea.
Sedgemoor District Council has reassured residents living next to the field, pictured above, that the potential sale of a public field to make room for a huge proposed new housing development will be ‘subject to a full public consultation exercise’.
Talking to Burnham-On-Sea.com, council spokeswoman Claire Faun said: “Sedgemoor District Council is aware of emerging proposals for new housing on the field adjacent to the Lakeside development at Highbridge.”
“Part of the land in the proposal is owned by Sedgemoor District Council, with the remainder of the land is privately owned by a few individuals.”
“Although the field is not formal open space it is still currently protected from development through planning policy. However, given the need to significantly increase the supply of new housing, a national priority, the Council’s new Local Plan anticipates that some new housing will be delivered on this site during the next five years but it will be essential to include a substantial area of high quality open space within any scheme.”
“SDC, as partial landowner, has agreed to allow the developer to explore the possibility of development on its land. Any sale of SDC owned land would be subject to a public consultation exercise. Any decision to sell would have to gain the Executive Committee’s approval.”
As first reported by Burnham-On-Sea.com here, Toni Hammick plans to transform the publicly-owned field into a new development of homes on land between Lakeside and the Isleport Business Park.
Denzil Clarke, pictured above, is leading a group of residents called the ‘Lakeside Residents Public Open Space Committee’ to air their opinions and “ensure their views are properly considered.” Over 30 residents are in the group.
