Plans for a new home to be built close to an accident blackspot in Burnham-On-Sea have this week been rejected by Sedgemoor District Council.
Town councillors and nearby residents had voiced concerns over the plans for a four-bedroom property with a garage and new driveway at 25 Rectory Road.
The home’s proposed access drive would have come out on the approach to the bend in Stoddens Road, pictured above, a well-known accident blackspot where there have been many crashes over the years.
The plans were considered at a meeting of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council’s Planning Applications Committee last month where town councillors unanimously objected against the scheme.
Now, Sedgemoor District Council’s planning department has reviewed the feedback and this week rejected the plans.
The district council says: “The proposed access is insufficient to allow safe access and egress from the Highway and due to the proximity of the access to the bend in the road and the evidence of recent collisions within proximity of this access, the development would result in an intensification of a substandard access impacting on highway safety.”
The council adds: “The size, scale and siting of the proposed dwelling, due to the proximity of the proposed dwelling to the boundaries, will result in insufficient amenity for the proposed and host dwelling, overdevelopment of the plot. It would be an over dominant development in relation to Stoddens Road, appearing out of keeping and the character of the surrounding area.”
“Insufficient information from the applicant around the flood risk assessment” has also been cited as a further reason for the council’s refusal.
Councillor Peter Clayton, pictured in the road, said he too has a number of concerns, having previously led a project to improve road safety on the Stoddens Road bend.
“I strongly object – this application would negate all the hard-work we have done on working to improve the road over the last few years,” he said.
“There have been 20 accidents recorded on the road and it would be totally out of character with other properties in the area.”
Cllr Louise Parkin said the junction is a well-known “accident blackspot” and added: “It is an overdevelopment, the houses in Rectory Road are huge and I don’t think you can diminish that. It would set a dangerous precedent to give approval here – in no time many other properties could want to do the same.”
Cllr Andy Brewer said that highway safety would be a concern, adding that many other local residents had submitted letters of objection.
Debbie Smith, who spoke on behalf of her parents who live nearby, said at the recent council meeting that the couple “strongly object” to the plans. She said the home would be an ‘overdevelopment’ of the site, would add to the danger for motorists in Stoddens Road, and would affect their privacy.
Cllr Nick Tolley told the meeting: “Access at the corner of Rectory Road and Stoddens Road is an accident waiting to happen.”
